Where the Lost Ones Go
by longliveelphie
Summary: After humans left Earth, nothing has been the same for the vampires left behind. When Christelle returns to find answers, will she find danger instead?
1. Home

**Who-hoo, I'm writing again! It feels fantastic to have a new story. Keep in mind, this first chapter sounds nothing like Twilight, but be patient fellow readers, our favorite characters are coming very soon (like next chapter). So, if you are here willingly and not because someone is forcing you at gunpoint to read this, then you receive a tradition of mine...THE GOODIE OF THE DAY!! It's marshmellow brownies. Enjoy.**

_There is a delicate balance between courage and stupidity, and at that moment I realized my previous actions were the latter; we were now in mortal danger. As we sat huddled in the small crevice of a room, barely breathing, barely shifting our eyes, we all knew we would be found—there is no escaping a creature that smells fear. If our sounds or scent didn't give us away, I knew that our heat would. Who better to detect a source of heat than a piece of cold, dead flesh? I cringed at the horror of this terrible irony. I might as well scream and let our end be immediately and painlessly. Our captor would be selfish and quick (whether or not either he would be merciful no longer seemed to matter); he would not share us among his companions. His lust for blood and searing thirst for that which he most sorely wanted would keep him from using his head and his logic. It wouldn't matter if he knew our faces, could call us by name; he would be blinded with mania. Sadly, ironically enough, I did know him. I knew him very, very well._

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I could feel the heat before the systems warned me of it. It was a warm, homely heat, but I knew that outside of my skin-protecting suit, it would be over 115 degrees in the cabin, and outside it…well, I didn't want to think about it. Such things are not worthy of dwelling upon. Already I was beginning to feel the crushing pressure upon my chest as the cabin resisted the air around it. The main systems switched to the "off" position due to the heat and speed. Training left me well prepared for such events, but every pilot warned me of how different the real thing is. So you could say I was apprehensive, no, _anxious_ for this flight. And now, as I hurdled through the air at over three-hundred miles per hour, I couldn't help but feel frightened.

I knew it would be better if I concentrated on something else, but no other object around the cabin provided me with such luxury. There was nothing of consequential excitement that I had not seen previously for several days. There were still the same control panels, the same kitchen, and the same bed. Everything reminded me of him; that he must have been thinking the same things I am. Perhaps he shared the same fear that crept through my body, the same anticipation that I could be swallowed in fire if the cabin even had one small malfunction. I sighed, slightly jealous of my brother. At least he made it to land and did not die of self immolation.

An incessant roar surrounded my ears, vibrating them between the spaces in my small helmet. My hands were shaking as I attempted to grasp onto the handles of my chair, with no success. Seriously, who was the dumbass who invented these gloves to make them so slippery? Even though I trained with all of my equipment months in advance, perhaps it was the fact that my palms were sweating that changed the factors. I tried to think of my brother Neil; I know he would think of me as wimp at this point. I smiled at the memory of his face. He was never afraid of anything; all one needed to do was to look at the large scar on his face to see it. I remember that scar well, mostly because it involved a great deal of stupidity on my brother's part. One day when we were at the pool, he decided to handstand jump off the diving board like the Olympic Athletes of long ago. Hence the scar that dragged across this face. He always said it hurt like hell, but I remember him laughing while I was screaming.

The ride no longer seemed as frightening now that I finished reminiscing. Still, memories couldn't bring him back, only my desperate actions. After he disappeared from his mission, I knew it would have to be me to find him. I always wanted to see Home anyway. We were all taught about it in kindergarten, our once great and mighty Home that we were forced to abandon, the home that once held lush forests and abound with beauty. Now, we were only surrounded by metal and plastic. I think what I wanted to experience the most was a real breeze. Not the unnatural, consistent breeze created by fans in our station, but one blown by nature, cooling and satisfying.

I was quickly snapped shut out of another silly daydream when the roar finally began to soften; I was entering the troposphere, and my cabin could finally slow down. My systems returned to their "on" position once out of the extreme heat and speed. I could feel my nerves calm down, and I began to relax in my seat once more, feeling heavy after tensing my muscles for those crucial five minutes. My suit felt cooler, though it was probably only because I was no longer sweating. There was only the sound of my heavy breathing and the wind rushing outside for brief moments. Other pilots like me told me before my journey that this was the most peaceful part of the trip, when it finally sinks in that you made it. My emotions went far beyond that; I was visiting Home, something that only my brother had been able to do. There was some tick in my brain, some deeply hidden instinct that strongly tied me to this beautiful planet. I looked out my window. I never believed that anyone ever "gasped" until this very moment. Below me was a spectacular scene; the whole world lay below me, in her former glory and perfection. There was nothing but green and blue and brown to behold. Stories of my childhood described little green and a mostly urban planet. I couldn't have looked at a stronger contrast. I could faintly see traces of urban society; outlines of shiny metal woven between rivers and sheets of blanketing green, some covering for miles around. I saw before me white capped mountains and sandy deserts. The awe struck me hard and completely. I had seen all the pictures in magazines and books of long ago, but to see it for my eyes was an entirely different, all consuming experience. I could barely breathe as I-

"My systems are back online." And this was the moment that all the pilots told me where I would want to smash the computer. How dare it interrupt this perfect moment! I raised my hand as if to smash the board but quickly stopped myself. Plunging to my death with a broken hand wasn't a very good idea.

"Good, computer. Where are we landing?" I asked irritated. The metallic voice answered immediately.

"48°52′10″N, 2°19′78″E."

I tried to recall where that was located geographically. I estimated around Paris, France, where my brother reportedly disappeared. Good, at least the landing calculations were correct. The land seemed to grow as I descended closer and closer to the ground below me. An excitement filled my chest, for I knew that I was coming home. My father once told me we were "French", but that always seemed irrelevant and unimportant. Now, I felt "French", as if my old, slumbering ties to the old way of life were rekindled. Music occupied my mind as I sang gently to myself, which never failed to fill me with joy.

Finally, after several minutes of apparent drifting, I felt the ship touch land. Could a heart stop in excitement? I was Home. I prayed frantically that the computer would confirm good news and let me step outside without my protective suit. If conditions allowed, and toxins in the air were few, perhaps my wish would be granted. I crossed my fingers as the computer spoke in its metallic voice.

"Weather: partially cloudy. Temperature: 68˚. Air conditions: Mildly humid, clean."

I breathed an enormous sigh of relief and joy. A great sense of purpose filled me as I discussed the great possibilities with myself. I could find my brother alive, I would discover what was left of our planet, I could lead humanity Home. With great determination and urgency, I quickly removed my protective helmet and suit. Strutting over to my very small and limited closet, I selected a three-quarter sleeve and light blue jeans, as well as wore my sleek walking shoes. To feel a fresh breeze, to smell the forest, which was only of legend and indescribable, hear birds in the sky; what a concept. This must have been what Neil felt like when he first landed. Neil, if you're out there, I'm coming. I pressed the open button on the door. It slowly opened, filling the cabin with warm sunshine. I closed my eyes, ready to embrace my long forgotten Home.


	2. Encounter

**What's up, everybody? This is a re-edited version of Chapter 2 thanks to the wonderful Shadohart, who gave some awsome tips about repetition=]. Enjoy with the goodie of the day: Strawberry shortcake**

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I sighed with relief when a breeze tickled my cheek. How simple yet wonderful it was, a real breeze. The air was sharp with the smell of forest; not the artificial scent that they taught us in preschool with air fresheners, but a cleansing and wholesome scent. I could hear a chorus of birds, chirping different songs with beautiful pitch. I opened my eyes to behold the world before me. I could have died in ecstasy at the sight. I was in a meadow, with grass knee high and array of wildflowers that blEarth was no longer gray and barren, nor did death walk about the air; it was natural, untouched, and simply breathtaking. We could return, humanity could come Home. I felt the instant urge to go out and explore, and before I knew it, my feet were practically flying across the surprisingly soft ground beneath my feet. Stopping mid-run, I hastily removed my shoes, and ran along as I carried them in my hand. How cool and damp and lovely the grass felt against my skin. No photograph or movie I had seen could compare the sheer awesome mighty beauty of the land that only God could create.

I don't know how long I ran, but I stopped after my breath grew to shallow to ignore. I was no longer in the meadow, but now in some sort of sweet smelling wood. There were odd looking mounds scattered about me in neat rows, hundreds upon hundreds of them covered with moss, some with roots twisting around them. Some were as tall as the trees around them, some half that size. Some were wide and fat, others were tall and thin. Whatever they were, they were massive, unusually massive for nature. How curious they were. I approached one and rubbed it. Under the moss, it was surprisingly hard. I brushed away some moss, pulling away several roots in the process. Something shiny was below the greenery, something hard and cold. I brushed away more dirt, and gasped in slight horror as I quickly realized what all of these mounds were; they were remains of buildings. This was what was left of an old city. Many of the buildings had already crumbled, and those that weren't eaten away by rot and termites were now infected inside and out with nature. These mounds were obviously old steel structures. It wasn't until I realized this that I saw I was standing on smooth stone, the ruins of a busy street. How eerie it was; I felt awfully alone.

I knew at some point that I would have to return to my cabin to get my equipment. The whole point of this trip was to conduct experiments to prove that return was possible. Still, I couldn't help exploring before getting down to business. I had to see more of this ghostly forest, to unlock the secrets it once beheld. I could not be far from Paris, which may have been more preserved since much of it was made of stone. Until then, I needed to explore, to understand more of this world left behind.

I decided to slip my shoes on once more since my feet were beginning to be cut and scratched at by various sharp thorns and jagged stones. The air held a dampness which only carried the scent of nature more. As appealing as it was, it was different, which made me slightly uncomfortable after a while. I walked down the street, the soft sounds of my feet squishing the moss below me the only sound other than the birds. The world seemed empty, serene, and desolate. I could almost imagine what life was like here all those years ago. I closed my eyes and listened to the silent voices of the past. I heard voices, whispers of those long dead, cars long rusted, songs long forgotten. The world was alive, teeming with humans living their lives. Their voices seemed muddled, yet I could clearly identify them. I shuddered thinking how different those voices must have sounded the day of departure.

The world around me seemed to grow as I walked farther and farther along the overgrown path. The city seemed to stretch for miles around, and I became afraid of losing my bearings and being unable to return to the cabin. Uh, oh, I realized, I was already lost. Shit. Now what was I going to do? It was still morning, so I had plenty of time to find the cabin, but I brought no supplies with me, no food, and certainly no weapons. What would I do if some hideous creature decided to attack me? I tried not to think about it. So I set off, wandering as I paraded my way down the street trying to find my way back. Unfortunately, every one of these mounds looked exactly the same. Nature, of course, had to screw up my happiness. The loneliness and loss of bearings was quite unnerving. My pulse was beating quickly, and I felt goose bumps creep up my arm, even though it was 70˚ out. When did I last make a left turn? Where did I come into the city? I couldn't remember, and I cried aloud in frustration. Perhaps this was how Neil became lost and never heard or seen again? I shuddered, and prayed that I wouldn't meet the same fate.

Several hours passed by. This former heaven was quickly becoming a purgatory. I wondered briefly if all this wondering would send me into madness. What a morbid sense of humor I had. My feet ached as I half shuffled them along the road now. Hunger had set in, and my stomach growled in anguish. I felt weak, like my blood sugar was dangerously low. I needed to rest, but nowhere seemed to provide me with such relief; there was nowhere to sit, unless I wanted to find somewhere in the woods. I stared at the light forest, which no longer looked inviting and pretty, but dangerous, as though horrendous monsters lurked behind the trees. I decided against it. The world around me was no longer sharp and full of live, but like a blurred dream. Every detail seemed to blend into one green splotch, where there was no rhyme or reason. I no longer paid attention to the birds, and their chirping was no longer distinctive. An awful headache morphed into my head, making me feel horribly dizzy.

At last, I found relief. It was a stone building, taller than any other ruin in the whole city. The stone structure stood tall, even though vines intertwined with it as if to pull it apart. There was even a tree growing on its side. It was an old Gothic cathedral, but I didn't know which one. From what I learned in history class, it wasn't Notre Dame, which confirmed that I wasn't in Paris. It was tall, thin, and eerily beautiful. Faded, eroded gargoyles perched atop a balcony, and the arches seemed to welcome me inside. It saddened me to see the structure, so beautiful yet so dead, so long forgotten and damaged by time. I stopped pondering about it and entered through what was left of the front door, which was only two pieces of rotting wood. The inside was unlike anything I had ever seen. In its unsurpassed coolness and windless existance, there was a grand, empty vestibule, quiet and still. The room was still recognizable, but the consuming nature had filled its walls completely. There was a little cup stuck to the wall, which held mossy, ugly water inside. I could faintly hear a beautiful other-worldly sound coming from inside the main hall. It sounded like…_singing_. I nearly laughed at the ridiculousness of the idea. No one could possibly be here. But such thoughts were quickly pushed aside as I concentrated harder on the sound. It was a clear, light, high sound, like that of a soprano. I couldn't understand her; she seemed to be singing in a liquid language with no vowels. I was entranced by its graceful elegance. The beauty in the voice nearly made me cry. Now, curiosity overcame me, and I peeked through the rotting door into the main hall.

I stared in disbelief at the sight. A massive hall stood before me. The stained glass windows were cracked, and their color faded, but they were still beautiful. Rows upon rows of rotting wood that was once pews lay out before me. The ceiling was incredibly high and arched. A glorious stone cross was perched on the wall, purple flowers encasing it. My amazement was confirmed by what was at the end of the hall. In front of the alter, before my disbelieving eyes, was a woman. She wasn't dirty as if she lived in the woods either; she wore a beautiful cream dress that touched the floor. Her long, curly, impossibly shiny chocolate colored hair hung magnificent head. She was as pale as the dress she wore, if not paler. She was singing, such a sweet voice that I thought only angels could sound like. She did seem to be speaking words, but it was a language I had never heard of, one that flowed smoothly and effortlessly out of her mouth. She was facing the cross, and didn't seem to notice me. Her song was once of delicate sadness, of longing; a prayer? Whatever language it was, whatever she was saying, it carried though the air like water, like a dream. Entranced, I found myself opening the door.

Her song abruptly ended. Her head turned sharply, inhumanly fast to face me. What I saw was not the face of a savage, but the most gorgeous woman I had ever seen. Her skin was as smooth as porcelain and as flawless as silk. What eyes! They were liquid gold, a sight I had never seen before. She didn't have a single imperfection. I marveled how such a beautiful creature could exist in such a wild land, how _any_ human could exist here still. Her expression changed several times very quickly; she was at once surprised, then she looked…_hungry_, and then suddenly horrified (whether at me or something else I did not know). Her mouth remained open and her body still. If I didn't know any better, I would have thought of her to be a statue; she didn't move, she didn't breathe. Finally, she looked curious. With caution, she slowly stepped towards me. I opened the door the rest of the way to reveal myself completely. I'm sure I looked as shocked as I felt. Were there others like her, or was she just a dream, or a ghost. I would have believed her to be an angel. She was the first of us to speak.

"Who are you?" she asked in the purest, silkiest voice conceivable to the human ears.

"C-Christelle. Christelle Barclay," I said stuttering. I felt so horribly ordinary with my alto voice. The woman looked frightened about something; perhaps I looked different from anyone else that she might know. A slight draft blew in from one of the broken She suddenly pinched her nose, seeming to restrain from something. Did I smell? How rude of her! I didn't smell! True, the cabin only had a dry shower, but even that leaves one clean. "Sorry, do I repulse you or something?" I said a little harsher than I should have been, but I couldn't help myself. "You don't have to be so rude."

She squinted, and seemed to concentrate very hard on something. After several seconds, she seemed to calm down and straightened up. She nodded her head three times, as if to count. Finally, she slowly lowered her nose, and took a very small and short breath. She was still about twenty meters away from me, but she still seemed cautious. It baffled me what she could possibly be restraining from. She kept her distance from me as she continued to speak.

"What are you doing here?" she asked. I could hear and feel the restrain in her voice. Whatever she was holding back from, she was concentrating, but not as much as when she first seemed repulsed by my smell, or whatever it was. The concentration seemed somewhat natural to her, yet out of touch, like an old habit suddenly back to tempt you.

"First tell me your name," I asked. I learned from father that tension eases when you know someone's name.

"Isabella Cullen," she said, definitely more at ease, now eying me with curiosity more than caution.

"I've been sent to find my brother," I said truthfully. That was why I was really sent, in addition to fulfilling Neil's mission.

"Oh," she said. She finally began to step towards me. It wasn't until she was closer than she wasn't really a woman. She was probably around twenty, as old as I was, but her beauty made her seem older from a distance. "I have no idea how to help you. No human has ever come back besides you," she said.

"No, my brother left the Station three months ago. I was sent to find him. You don't remember seeing a ship land around here or near Paris?"

"No, I haven't." She said. She shook her head, as if she diverting from what she really needed to say. "It's dangerous for you to be here. You should go home. I'm sorry, but if your brother did land near here, then he is probably dead." I stared at her blankly. No, it couldn't be. How could she possibly know what happened to him? She didn't know Neil, tough, determined, if not goofy Neil. He wasn't stupid enough to get killed.

"How can you know?" I asked her defensively.

"Because, there's plenty around here to be afraid of," she said. Her face now held an expression I could not read. "You should leave, tell those at the Station your brother is dead," she said.

"But it's more than that! I need to make sure if everyone can return Home," I said. Her face went dead with fright.

"Return…to Earth? But…they can't…" her voice died out. And I knew she was hiding a great secret from me; something that made her dread humanity's return, something that made her frightened for me, something that made her afraid of me.

"But why not? The world seems recovered from the global disaster," I said. She said nothing, but seemed to contemplate some sort of options in her head. Why couldn't we return Home? I was dying to know, but it looked like I wasn't going to receive answers anytime soon. Finally, she seemed to come to some sort of a conclusion.

"Come, I need to take you home. You'll be safer here," she said. So I began to turn around to head out the door. "Wait," she said. "I should warn you…there'll be things you'll see soon that might shock you. I'll explain later, but right now we need to get you out of here as soon as possible."

"What about you? Aren't you concerned about your safety?" I asked.

"You're safety and my safety is much different," she said solemnly. She approached me breathing very slightly and quickly. "Hold on tight, and sorry if you get a heart attack from what I'm about to do."

Then several things happened in less than the blink of an eye. In a seemingly effortless motion, Isabella swept me off of my feet and onto her back. I was shocked by how surprisingly strong and fast she was. My skin cringed where she grabbed me; her skin was cold as ice and hard as stone. I held on tight, which felt like grabbing the great steel statue in the center of the Station. Suddenly, the world around me was a blur of green once more, but I couldn't distinguish anything. Did I suddenly fall into a new part of a dream? But I couldn't have been sleeping, everything was far too real, but it was all impossible. I was flying, so smoothly and silently that it felt like a dream. I looked down and my carrier. She was _running_. Her feet were as blurry as the passing landscape. She showed no effort, no change of breath, nor any sign of slowing down. If I felt dizzy and faint before, I certainly felt it now. This couldn't be real, but it was. Was she a robot? A higher evolution of human? No, impossible. Only a hundred and fifty years had passed since the Great Departure, too soon for any evolutionary change. I stared in amazement, in dumb awe. Who was she? _What _was she?

Then, just as soon as it began, it was over. How long had we been traveling? I had no sense of estimation in this department, and in my amazement, we could have been running for three seconds or three hours. With another quick motion, she spun me off her back and placed on the ground. I almost collapsed immediately, but she caught me with hands that seemed faster than light. I couldn't blink, much less speak. My mind was blank, a dead bank that couldn't process anything that just happened. All I could register was that we were now standing in front of a house in the middle of a wood. It was a large, white, and grand house, well kept with no vines crawling up its side nor any sign of permanent damage. There was a clean cut path that lead to a large oak door, carved with elegant designs.

I felt faint, in fact, the world suddenly became black, and I felt myself fall backwards. My mind seemed to be having an out of body experience. Everything was dark and lineless, yet I could feel myself moving effortlessly. I was cold, and lying on something very hard and uncomfortable. I wanted to bounce back into myself, to wake up, to see the light, but everything was confusing and distorted. I could hear voices, beautiful and distant. They seemed to be presiding over me. I needed to see their faces, to connect sound to sight. My body felt like it was floating for the briefest instant, then laid upon something very soft. I managed to flutter my eyes open. At first, the images were blurry and dull, but as I blinked more, the angels before my eyes became clearer and clearer. Before me were the six most gorgeous creatures ever created. They were ethereal, unreal, impossibly stunning. Had my eyes ever seen perfection before? They were all plugging their noses except for Isabella. They were horrified yet amazed as much as I was.

"Hello, Christelle," one of them spoke. "Welcome Home."


	3. Introductions

**I feel like I'm on a roll with updating! Probably no one will read this considering that the second I post this, I'm already 103 on the Twilight list. Hope you enjoy this story with the Goodie of the Day: strawberries w/ chocolate. enjoy.**

"H-Hello," I mumbled. Ugh, my voice, everything about me seemed so pathetic compared to these people. As my vision sharpened, I could fully distinguish each of them. There was Isabella, who was standing right next to another pale figure, a man who with the same impossibly pale skin, but with bronze hair styled thickly and messy. There was an older male next to him, a man with very blonde hair, who looked kind and reserved. Next to Isabella, he showed the least amount of effort in restraining to smell me, and soon even removed his hand from his face. Next to him was a man far larger and bulkier. His short, cropped hair only highlighted his muscular features. Close to his side was a blonde woman, who was amazingly even more beautiful than Isabella; and next to her was a short woman with spiky black hair, giving her the impression of a pixie. All of them the same skin as pale as stone, and eyes as golden as honey. The older blonde one was the one who greeted me. He smiled gently, welcomingly.

"Where am I?" I asked, more clearly as I came to my senses.

"You're in our home," said Isabella. "This is my family." How odd of them to be considered a family; none of them looked alike, and if I wasn't mistaken, the big one and blondie looked like a couple. I wanted to question them, but I had already been rude before to Isabella; I didn't want her to dislike me any more than she probably already did.

"You fainted," the blonde girl giggled. I had a feeling that I wasn't going to like her. I sat up, and most of them backed away slightly. This was becoming superbly irritating.

"Ok, honestly, do I smell _that _bad?" I asked, dripping sarcasm with every syllable.

"No," the big one answered. "You smell _fantastic_," he said in a very odd tone that I couldn't quite decipher. The older blonde gentleman eyed him as if to scold; perhaps he was the "father figure" of this house. The way the big one described my scent seemed familiar, but I couldn't quite figure out why he said it. My brother used it once, to describe Christmas dinner. _Dinner? _Shit, did I stumble upon _cannibals_? But, they didn't seem like they wanted to hurt me, but they did look _tempted_ by me. Cannibals with morals? I again nearly laughed at my horrible, morbid sense of humor.

"Um, oh how do I explain this?" the one with bronze hair said. "We haven't, um…smelled your kind for a while."

"My kind? Isn't that your kind too?" Now I was utterly confused.

"Not exactly," the pixie one said. "We're, um, different from you."

"I kinda figured," I said. "So tell me, are you robots or something? You're all cold and hard and shiny. Are you, like, made of metal or something?" I felt stupid asking this, and they apparently thought so too; they shifted uncomfortably, and blondie giggled again.

"Oh, come on, we might as well tell her," Isabella said. The older one seemed to be the only one convinced of the plan; the rest appeared quite reluctant. He took a deep breath and knelt close to me.

"We aren't…human," he said.

"Robots?" I said, chuckling to myself.

"No…vampires." I felt the color wash from my face. I had heard the stories, seen the movies, I wasn't stupid. _Vampires? _Could such an impossible thing actually be reality? Haven't smelt my kind for a while…of course, _human _was their food of choice. So for the last century and a half they haven't eaten their favorite meal…and I smelt _fantastic_. There is plenty to be afraid of indeed. And Neil…was he still alive? Or did he suffer at the hands of another ravenous monster? I wasn't a guest, I was dinner, and all of my hosts were very hungry. Could I fight them? No, impossible. From what I knew, I had no hope of hurting them, or running away. Time seemed to slow down around me as I realized my inevitable fate. I lay my head back down on the couch and closed my eyes, waiting for what was to come.

"We're not going to kill you," the older one assured.

"What?" I said quietly.

"We don't want to eat you," said the bronze haired one.

"Isn't that what you always did? Aren't you starving?"

"We never wanted to be monsters," he said quietly. "And we certainly aren't going to become ones now."

"I don't understand," I said.

"We eat animals," the big one said.

"Animals?" I said with slight relief. They all nodded. I smiled; perhaps they would let me go.

"You accepted this almost as well as I did," Isabella said. They all laughed, especially the bronze haired one.

"So, you're…a coven?" I asked. I remembered the word from an old story Neil told me.

"Essentially, yes, but we consider ourselves a family," the pixie one said. "I'm Alice." How much more human she seemed now that I knew her name. The bronze haired one nodded.

"Edward," he said. The big one smiled.

"Emmett." Blondie nodded but didn't smile.

"Rosalie." Then the older one introduced himself.

"Carlisle." I had never heard of such names before, except perhaps in old novels like _Jane Eyre_. They must be really old. Wait, vampires were immortal right?

"Have you all been…around since the Great Departure?"

"Yes," Isabella said, confirming my questions. "We were left behind."

"Well, we more or less stayed behind," Alice said. Stayed behind? Why wouldn't they want to leave? I tried to ask that question, but before I could utter it, Edward seemed to answer it.

"Where do you think we would get our food?" he asked. _Oh. _What would happen once everyone on board was dead? I shuddered at the thought, knowing very well that if they did, I probably wouldn't exist. But still, how did he know what I was thinking?

"I can read your mind," he said. Whoah! Did not see that coming. Now my thoughts felt so open. Crap, I hope he wasn't reading them now.

"I am," he said smiling. Leave me alone! I shouted in my head. He chuckled.

"We've all gotten used to it," Emmett said. "Except Bella, which furiously irritates Edward."

"It does?" Bella asked jokingly. He smiled at her with such love in his eyes that it made me nearly faint again. She smiled back with the same longing, perfect love. I'd never seen anything like that before…perfect. Suddenly, she returned to the issue at hand (aka me, apparently). "You must be hungry," she said. It wasn't until she said it that I realized she was right. My stomach growled loudly.

"Er, I don't suppose you have human food around here?" I asked quietly.

"No, we do, for Renesmee, Jacob and Nahuel of course," Carlisle assured me.

"Who?" I asked.

"You'll meet them soon enough. I think you'll find them rather extraordinary." With that, Carlisle retreated to the kitchen and pulled out a potato, some cheese, and several vegetables that I've never seen before. I must say that I didn't find the meal before me very appetizing, but how can you say no to such potentially dangerous hosts? I was too hungry to reject the meal anyway. I swallowed as quickly as I could, slightly embarrassed by my lack of manners. Everyone had turned to something else, but I could tell that they were all eying me. It made me feel awfully uneasy. While at the table, I considered my options. The stupidest choice would be to run away; not only could they catch me, but I had a feeling that they weren't far from other vampires, who would be much more inclined to devour me. But if I stayed, I risked being eaten anyway. But what about that those others that they said they kept human food for? Weren't they human too? But they couldn't be; they said they haven't smelt human since the Great Departure, so what did that make the others. Perhaps there was some exceptional circumstance playing out here that I wasn't aware of yet. Weighing the options, I considered these Cullens to be much safer playing cards than the dark demons of the woods. But I should be cautious; father always taught me to watch out for wolves in sheep's clothing.

There was a knock on the door, which froze me up. Should I run, hide, beg for mercy? But none of the Cullens seemed alarmed by these visitors, so I figured I shouldn't have to worry, right? The door opened and three others entered the house? Were these Renes-something, Jacob and Nuleman? They looked…different from the rest of the Cullens. The girl looked to be about my age and height. She was the same pale shade as the rest of them, but her eyes were a milk chocolate brown. She seemed more alive, more human than the rest. Holding her hand was a giant. Well, not literally, but he was _huge_. He looked Native American, with dark skin, hair, and eyes. He looked older than the girl, but not by much. I had no doubt in my mind that this man was human; he was just so different in vital energy than the others. He seemed really close to the girl he was holding, something about the way their bodies seemed to line up side by side like a puzzle. Next to Big Guy was a shorter, stockier, but equally as dark and tan, just as beautiful as the girl and just as different from the other vampires. They saw me sitting at the table and immediately drew stares of surprise. I'm sure my returning blank stare was no help either.

"Um, high," Big Guy said, awkwardness seeping out of his tongue. I tried to smile sheepishly, but from the expression the girl gave me, it looked more like a hideous grin. The shorter boy laughed.

"Christelle, this is Renesmee, Jacob, and Nahuel," Carlisle said, seeming to appear out of nowhere. I jumped slightly in surprise. Nahuel laughed again. "Guys, this is Christelle Barclay." I gave a nervous hi and wave, and they said hi too. But after the awkwardness, reality overtook Renesmee. Her face became stern and suspicious.

"How did she get here? Where did she come from?" she was asking almost defensively. I obviously threw her off guard. Jacob touched to shoulder to calm her down.

"Don't mind Renesmee. We're all kind of surprised. No one's ever returned before," he said with a tone that I couldn't decipher. I had a feeling he was a calm person, maybe even a little protective. Nahuel remained silent, appearing to examine me up and down. I didn't know whether to be offended or flattered. His expression was blank. I was really beginning to become sick of everyone being suspicious of my well being. Everything needed to be explained to these people about who I was before they decided to kick me out. I was ready for it anyway.


	4. Stories

Chapter 4

The awkwardness, surprise, and slight offense in my presence were really beginning to piss me off (though I knew I should be more scared than frustrated). There was definitely apprehensiveness pulsating throughout me, but the sheer vibes of kindness and benevolence that flowed from this group was something only I seemed to feel. Despite the fact that any one of them could kill me instantly, I knew they wouldn't. Something about their faces showed a wisdom and placidness that wouldn't be tainted by bloodlust. There was something else buried in their faces, a look of loss and grief. But those questions would be asked later. I sighed heavily and plunked myself back on the couch, slapping the leather as I sat down.

"Alright, I suppose I should better explain myself shouldn't I?" I said. Their attention completely focused on me, they looked around to each other and slightly nodded. In what appeared to be fast motion they all moved to various couches and chairs surrounding me. I was a little flustered by the speed.

"Sorry," Alice mumbled. "We need to get used to slowing down again." They really were out of touch humanity. I took a deep breath and began my story.

"About three years ago, when I was seventeen, my brother Neil and I decided to become pilots together. We did _everything _together to be honest. By this time, everyone had been living on the station for decades. Some, like my grandmother, even knew relatives who lived through the Great Departure. After we finished our schooling, we flew missions around the Station, delivering cargo, exploring, whatever, really. About six months ago, my brother was assigned something that everyone had been waiting for; he was assigned to return Home. We were all ecstatic about it; in fact it was all he ever talked about. If his tests came back positive, and proved we could return Home, he would come back a hero.

So after another three months of training, he set off for the week's journey. I remember Neil practically bouncing off the walls the days before he set off. He knew the gravity of the mission, and was absolutely determined to succeed. He would always call during the mission. I had never seen him happier or more exited about anything before. I was eternally grateful that he found something that made him feel so complete." Just talking about Neil made my throat start choking up. I paused to collect myself before adding on. Nahuel gave me a look of utter sympathy.

"After a week, he finally landed. It was exactly three months ago. He called back the Station to report his successful landing. He signed off to explore the area before he would conduct his tests. Of course he was smarter than me; at least he brought something to protect himself in the outside world, an energy pulsator, I think. After that, he shut off his radio. We never heard from him again. The last and only evidence we have is that he landed near Paris. Many thought that he was killed by toxic poisons in the air, but obviously I'm still here.

"I immediately volunteered to find him, just as long as I agreed to also continue with his original mission. I couldn't imagine how he got killed, he may have been a goofball, but he wasn't stupid. He didn't leave his cabin without protecting himself first. Even though many told me it would be foolish to try to find him, I couldn't abandon my own brother. I set off for him, and ran into you, far from anything I could have ever expected to find here, no offense."

"None taken," Carlisle said. There was such kindness in his face, but I could also easily distinguish pain in his eyes that he was obviously trying to hide. They all watched me intently, which made me even more uncomfortable than the situation already was. I never faired well with speaking to a crowd, but this was something different entirely. They all seemed to take another second to fully absorb my story, which created an empty silence. They looked around at each other, seeming to keep a secret from me and debating whether or not to tell me. Finally, Rosalie spoke out, breaking the silence.

"Well, I'm sorry Christelle, but we have every reason to believe that your brother is dead." As much as I considered the possibility, as much as I realized how horribly dangerous Home had become, I refused to believe the blasphemy of her words. How dare she simply tell me something she isn't even sure of! Neil could be anywhere, safe and happy. Perhaps his radio became damaged, or maybe his ship malfunctioned, but I knew that he couldn't be dead. Such a heartfelt rage pulsated through my core that I wanted to do nothing more than hurt Rosalie for believing such an atrocity. I didn't care if I couldn't hurt her, or that she could hurt me, I wanted to do it. I stood up and advanced toward her quickly. My plans were faltered when a cold, hard hand grabbed my arm and held me back. It was Bella. Now I was angry at her too, and though I knew that such anger was completely irrational, I wanted to feel it anyway.

"How dare you! How dare all of you!" I shouted. "Neil isn't dead! He can't be!" I tried to thrash away from Bella's infinitely powerful grip, but I knew it was useless.

"You don't understand, Christelle; Paris is kinda the vampire capitol city right now," Jacob said. I could barely detect the slight resentment in his voice. How odd for a vampire to hate his own kind. Or was he a vampire? There was a vitality to him that made him different, but I still knew something about him wasn't right. I shook my head; there wasn't time to get sidetracked.

"What do you mean? How many of you are there?!" I shouted, still angry at everyone.

"Eight hundred and twenty-seven, exactly," Edward said. If I could as close to a vampire and still be alive, it was at this very moment. I could feel my heart slow, and my face grow pale. I felt the goosebumps rise on my arm, suddenly overcome with a shock of cold. _Eight hundred and twenty-seven. Neil…_he landed in Paris. What are the odds? How could this happen? As much as my heart refused to believe that such horrific circumstances could happen to him, my head knew Rosalie's logic right now. Three months in a city filled with vampires who have been craving human blood for a century and a half…I felt sick. Without thinking, I yanked my arm out of Bella's softening grip raced out of their front door. A ripping pain seared through my arm; I had dislocated it trying to free myself. Still, I ran out the door, screaming and crying along the way. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I had failed. I came all this way only to receive the more awful of news. My brother was almost certainly long dead, perhaps thrashed apart in the most bloody and gruesome way. I gagged thinking about it.

How dark the sky had become since I arrived. It was almost nightfall, and a bitter cold ripped through with a hideous wind. I knelt into the damp grass for several minutes, unable to breath, unable to move, waiting for an answer and a truth which I knew would never come. Though I was not completely, without a doubt assured, I knew my brother was dead. No human could survive these monsters. _Monsters_. My gut filled with loathing of the Cullens; how they pretend to be human when they are only mere reflections of the life they once had. Now they were only an indestructible force meant to suck the Breath of Life to sustain their own vitality. They, the creatures of the night who've preyed on countless humans for eons, and not regretting it. They with no true feelings, only cruelty, who wouldn't think twice about silencing a human being with a soul and love and family forever.

And then it struck me. I'm such a hypocrite. How could I possibly judge them when I was furious that they judged me? I felt like such a fool. Didn't I already determine that these creatures were benevolent, not malevolent? If they were truly the evil, merciless bloodsuckers of the scary stories of my childhood, they would have not hesitated to consume me. I could see their restraint, how much effort they put into themselves to stand my smell. I could see the grief and loss in their faces, though I didn't know the cause. And I almost looked past this and labeled them off the spot. I'm such a bitch. I giggled at myself, slowly turning into hysterical laughter.

"Are you alright?" said a musical voice. It was Emmett. Everyone else was also at the door with him. Had they been watching me this whole time? I didn't see cynics or snide in their faces, only pure empathy. I slowly rose, feeling ashamed of my appearance. I must have looked atrocious in their perfect eyes.

"I'm fine," I choked out. Ugh, the taste of vomit lingered in my mouth. I tried to swallow it down without success.

"No, you're not; you dislocated your shouder," Emmett said. If the situation were different, I would have shrugged.

"I've had worse," I said, though the searing pain showed in my voice. Emmett sighed.

"Ok, I'm gonna put your shoulder back; this will hurt," he said, rightfully speaking the truth. I appreciated him not going soft on how it would feel. Of course it would hurt like hell. I breathed deeply to relax my muscles.

"Ok, one...two-" he pushed my shoulder back into its socket, a awful cracking sound accompanied it. I cried in pain, but it was only for a brief moment. In the next second, there was only a dull, throbbing ache where the acute pain once was.

"Do you want some water?" Renesmee asked, as if seeming to read my thoughts. I nodded. As I ascended the steps into the front door, they cleared a path for me, leading me into their warm and safe house lit by several torches and a great fireplace. Now I knew for sure that they would not harm me, that they would protect me from the outside world. To what extent they would protect me I didn't know, but I knew that they cared for my life. Once inside, Carlisle led us to the main living room, to the couches once more. I sat down, with Jacob and Renesmee next to me. How peculiar! Even though I wasn't touching him, I could feel his hot skin. He definitely wasn't a vampire, but nothing could be that hot, could it? Carlisle sat in the chair facing me directly. He placed his elbows on his knees.

"Let's sit down, and we'll tell you our story. It's a sad story, but what isn't anymore. If there was a happy ending to our story, God would have called us home long ago.

"About ten years after Bella married Edward-"

"Wait, they're married? I thought you were all related?"

"We're all an 'adopted' family," Emmett said. "I'm married to Rosalie, and Jacob is married to Renesmee." My odd questions were then answered, and it all made sense why those particular people seemed especially close. Carlisle, Alice, and Nahuel said nothing. Their expressions were hard and unreadable. I didn't dare to ask if they were married. Carlisle continued with his story.

"About ten years after they married, that was when the Great Departure began. We knew what was going on in the world, we saw the signs, saw the crops die and the skies turn gray, and saw the ash falling through the air. We knew we couldn't leave; what could we eat on board? Since we could live through it, we remained, along with all the other vampires as the Volturi ordered."

"The Volturi?" I asked.

"I'll explain. They were what you would call the Royal Family for vampires. The three of them ruled us for thousands of years." It was hard for me to encompass the fact that three creatures could exist for such a long time.

"But after the Great Departure, our community was hit hard. There was no food left for most vampires save for those critical few humans left behind. They didn't last long," he said grimly. I cringed.

"We were comfortable for a while, since we already had survived on animal blood for a long time, but after a while our food supply's numbers died due to the Disaster. We often went hungry, especially Jacob," he said. I turned my head to face Jacob. He looked at me and smiled meekly.

"The Volturi decided that we needed to group together in order to survive. Every vampire across the globe gathered in Volterra, Italy, where they resided. We attempted to organize ourselves. Everyone was forced to eat animals, what choice did they have? We tried to raise predators to increase food supply, which worked, but barely. There was much hunger; many went mad with the craving for human blood. It was a dark time.

"After about twenty more years, pandemonium ensued. There was talk of revolt against the Volturi, saying that they couldn't rule us properly or keep us organized. We stayed away from fighting, but many vampires lead an enormous revolt, and destroyed the Volturi. A lot of people died." At this point, Carlisle paused, seeming to be in distress. He rubbed his hands in his face, as if erasing tears. There was an echoing silence in the room. Looking around, Alice also bore that same disturbed face. He seemed to gather himself and resumed. "Leading the fight was Gustav and Matthieu, two French vampires. They seated in power, and moved us to Paris, where we've centered around ever since. The world has recovered since then, and many have scattered throughout Europe.

"Life's become difficult since then. There's no running water, no electricity; we become quite antique," he said, chuckling. "Our world has become quiet again. Unsettling and imperfect, but we are no longer suffering terribly like the chaos of before." At his conclusion, everyone quiet and somber, their eyes on the floor. I suddenly felt very tired. I yawned and rubbed my eyes.

"Would you like to go to sleep?" Nahuel asked. I was almost taken aback by his voice. I hadn't heard it before, but it sounded…like a bell or a glass when you cling it. It was beautiful. He was looking at me with a face that looked like he would do anything I asked for.

"Yeah, I think I just…need to rest," I said lamely.

"You can sleep in my room," he offered.

"But what about you?"

"Don't worry, I'll be fine. I'll sleep on the couch or something."

"No, Nahuel," Carlisle said. "She can sleep in my room. I still have a bed that's largely unused. You don't need to sacrifice your sleep."

"But what about you, Carlisle?" I asked.

"I don't sleep," he said cheerfully.

"But isn't that bad for your health?" He chuckled.

"No, as in, vampires don't ever sleep." Oh.

"Well, in that case, thank you very much." I said goodnight to everyone. Nahuel, Jacob, Renesmee, and I were the only ones who retreated to the upstairs rooms while everyone else remained downstairs, speaking so softly and quickly that I couldn't decipher them. I found Carlisle's bed. It was large and soft and luxurious, but obviously unused for a very long time. I could see that it did once serve its master, but that seemed so long ago. I crawled into the stiff sheets. They even smelled old and dusty, but I wasn't going to complain. I could always wash…with no machine. Just how did they function around here? I didn't care. Sleep quickly covered my eyes over as I dreamt of Neil waiting in his ship for me with some snacks.


	5. Long Lost

**Sorry about this chapie being mostly a filler. Just Christelle getting used to everything. Enjoy with the Goodie of the Day: chocolate creme puffs!**

**Disclaimer(for this and all other chapters of every story I ever write so I don't ever have to do this again): nope, don't own.**

I awoke abruptly from a deep sleep. It took me a few seconds to observe my surroundings and recognize them. At first, I didn't remember anything. Then it hit me…I wasn't dreaming. Everything that had happened the day before _did_ happen. The entire night, I was expecting myself to wake up once more in my ship, waiting to land that morning, yet here I was, lying in Carlisle's bed. I convinced myself that yesterday was just my imagination, a fantasy constructed by my own thoughts. But it was real; there was no longer a question that it was. I did meet the Cullen's, I did come to know that every horror story I've ever read could possibly be true, and I did meet Bella in that abandoned cathedral. Speaking of which, what was she doing there? I would have to ask her. In fact, there were millions of questions I wanted to ask about every aspect of their life: how do they survive? Are they friends or enemies with the other vampires? Just what are Jacob, Nahuel, and Renesmee if they're not vampires? Why did Carlisle and Alice get all choked up last night? But I was getting ahead of myself. Perhaps they would explain later. Right now, my main priority was returning to my ship. The Station had to at least know that I was still alive and well. They would want to know if Earth was inhabitable. A pondering philosophical question came to mind; should I tell the Station that Home was safe and thriving once more? If everyone returned, the vampires would have a hay day; they might even carry out an unprecedented massacre. Should I allow that to happen? What if I say Earth wasn't inhabitable? Would they ask me to return immediately? I didn't want to depart so soon; I needed, no, _wanted_ to learn so much more about this mysterious family. They fascinated me. I certainly never, and I'm sure nobody else ever, met anybody as interesting, diverse, and curious as the Cullens. Not just because of their DNA, but their lives intrigued me to a bursting extent. I decided that I should consult them on my next move.

Arising from the still stiff and dusty bed sheets, I opened the window to greet the morning sun. It was bright and cool, with the clouds from yesterday's rain still lingering overhead, but with a much softer gray. The air smelled clean and musky, like the water washed everything away and left nothing but pure, unadulterated earth. I guessed that it was about seven o'clock. I hoped that I wasn't the only one not up, but more than likely I was. I dragged my feet sleepily downstairs. The house was prettier than I remembered. Old and antique, but very beautiful. There was a grand staircase at the bottom of the hall, which led open to the main hall. I could hear a piano being played. It was a slow, sweet, but melancholy melody that I didn't recognize. Being a pianist myself, I felt compelled to follow the sound. I had missed playing while on the ship, since I often played for at least two hours a day. When I turned the corner in the hallway, I could see Edward at the piano. It was an _old _piano, with faded wood and very echoing sound. It was perfectly tuned, but in desperate need of new strings. I could see he was perfect for the instrument, just the right arm length, with large hands and long, thin fingers which tapped the keys with smooth ease. He seemed bored with the song, but concentrating on it, as if composing.

"What are you playing?" I asked quietly. His head cocked up to face me.

"I'm just improvising," he said quietly. His face turned away from me to face the piano again. Even in his lazy silence, I could still feel tention. "Are you alright?" he asked. I could see everyone else was downstairs already, their attention drawn towards me. How odd that they were so fascinated by me, a pathetic girl, who paled in comparison to these epitomes of perfection.

"I'm just peachy," I said purposefully sarcastic. I felt like absolute shit. My head hurt, my nose was running from the dusty sheets, and I was still horribly nervous being around these potentially dangerous creatures. I could see that they prepared some sort of meat on the table for me. Grateful for the meal, I politely sat down and ate my food. It was good, some sort of meat that I couldn't recognize, but I didn't care. I nodded thank you to Bella, my apparent cook. Everyone else continued with what they were doing: Emmett was playing cards with Rosalie, and Alice was reading a thick, yellowing novel. They seemed to be concentrating on their tasks, but I caught quick glances of their eyes for very brief moments of time.

"Where's everyone else?" I asked between bites.

"Carlisle is in his lab, and the rest are still sleeping," Bella said.

"I thought Carlisle said that vampires didn't sleep."

"They don't," she said.

"Then what are they doing sleeping?" I asked. So much for being polite; I'm an awfully nosy guest.

"You'll find out soon enough, but for now, I don't think we should overwhelm you." I was satisfied with the answer. Then, as if on que, Jacob, Renesmee, and Nahuel emerged from the upper rooms, looking just as tired as I was. They greeted everyone lazily, then walked towards the table as well. Jacob was the only one who sat down.

"Hungry, Jacob?" Bella asked.

"As usual," he said grinning. Bella served him up a plate of the meat.

"Kodiak bear? Aw, you shouldn't have," he said sincerely. I stopped chewing when he said "bear", but I couldn't be rude. I swallowed the rest of my mouthful. I decided to get down to business.

"I need to talk to everyone about something," I said. Everyone's heads turned towards me. "Carlisle should be here too," I added.

"I'm here," he said, arising from a door on the far end of the room. He didn't look particularly cheery this morning like he did last night.

"Well, it's about my ship. It was my first and foremost duty to report back to the Station when I arrived and gathered brief observations. So…what should I say?" A strange tension seemed to leave the room. Perhaps that was why everyone looked so nervous today; they were trying to avoid this topic, but they knew it was unavoidable. I knew what they were going to say, what they wanted and intended, but they were obviously as conflicted as I was.

"Christelle, you know how I feel about this," Bella said from the kitchen. "I can't risk the lives of every human by sending them back. There would be a frenzy like never seen before. So many people will die."

"I know, but how can I lie to my own people? I can't lead them disappointed. Moral is bad enough at the Station as it is," I argued.

"I know, but we can't risk lives like that."

"Then what should I say? That we should return in a few years, several years, or that it will never happen?"

"I…to be honest, I really don't know. This wasn't something that we've ever expected to happen."

"Well, we're going to have to think, and fast, or those at the Station will be immediately suspicious," I said. I was caught between my need to please my people and to protect them. I couldn't lie to them, and letting down their already depressed mindsets, but I couldn't risk their lives like that.

"Just delay them for now. Tell them that more tests are necessary," Carlisle suggested. "How long was you mission projected to take anyway?"

"I should have determined the state of the Earth within a day, and after that, I was granted as long as I needed to so I could find Neil. But once I give the word that it's safe, there would be immediate plans to return within the week," I said.

"Then it comes down to morals," he said. "Either way, humanity will suffer."

"You don't have to be so negative, Carlisle," Rosalie interjected.

"But it's true. I'm just as conflicted as Christelle here. On one hand, she doesn't want to lie to the entire human race, but on the other hand she cannot guarantee their safety. However, we must not forget that they are much more advanced than we are. Who knows, they could easily destroy our kind, right?"

I thought about this for a moment. Sure, we now had high photon energy rays and God knew what else. Who was to say that we couldn't protect ourselves? Still, I knew that it wouldn't be easy, and I couldn't guarantee the safety of everyone. It would be so easy for number of vampires to lay a heavy massacre down. Still, who was to say I couldn't stall them? I could reassure them, but that didn't have to mean that I needed to give them all the answers so soon, right?

"All right, I delay them for now, but I'll need to contact them today so there'll be no suspicions that something happened to me," I said.

"Fair enough," Carlisle said. "Bella, could you lead to her ship?"

"Of course," she said. "I'll just need instructions." She looked at me and smiled slightly. I smiled back.

"Then we shouldn't waist time," I said. She nodded in agreement, and walked with inhuman speed towards the door. I felt so slow in attempt to catch up to her. I could see Emmett trying to suppress a laugh. I looked back at the family.

"We'll be here when you get back," Jacob said chuckling. "You don't have to worry about us."

"I wasn't worrying about you," I said. Ugh, that sounded worse than I wanted it to. I could see his smile wipe off his face. So instead I turned my head quickly and shut the door. Bella was outside, waiting patiently for me. The sky was gray and cloudy, but she still held this undeniable glow.

"So, will we be traveling the same way last time?" I asked, actually hoping her answer would be no.

"Yeah," she said. Dammit. She could see the anxiety in my face.

"Don't worry," she said smiling. "I felt the same way after Edward first carried me away."

"Wait, what?" I asked.

"I knew the Cullens before I...changed. But that's a long story that I'll tell you another time. Where to?" she asked.

"Back to the cathedral where I found you. I'll at least have a sense of my bearings there," I said. She said nothing, only nodded in agreement. I remembered that I wanted to ask her about that cathedral. Maybe when we arrive I'll ask.

"Hold on tight then," she said. And with that she swooped me off my feet and onto her back before I could register her warning. I didn't think that I was ever going to get used to how quickly everything moved with this family, especially themselves. The world around me was a blur once more, a confusing, unnatural blur. I could see it almost as a metaphor for my life at the moment. Oh me, relating everything in life to English class. Normally, my life was so controlled, so deeply ordinary. When Neil and I heard of this mission, we were so ready to do something spontaneous. But now I'm beginning to wonder whether or not spontaneity actually pays off. It led to Neil to becoming missing in action, and it caught me up in the web of this small, unusual family. I had so craved something new and different at the Station, where there is nothing but rules and conduct to follow, that I was careless. I probably shouldn't have run away from my ship so quickly, without any supplies or sense of the area. But then again, I've run into a fascinating, impossible world, one that grasped my imagination and flipped it around every which way. Did I actually want to leave? I knew for sure that I couldn't leave until I found Neil, but even after I found out his fate, would I want to leave? What if I became attached to the Cullens? What if I wanted to know more and more about this world which has grabbed me and pulled me in? I suppose I could stick around for a while, and see what the outcome was. In the end, I needed to find a way to delay the Station before making a final decision, and to find Neil, if he was even still alive.

My train of thought ended when Bella abruptly stopped, swung her arms around and lowered me onto the ground. Such grace, it made me slightly jealous. Just as promised, we had stopped in the abandoned city, right in front of the crumbling cathedral. It was amazing how different it look in the light of the morning. It no longer looked grand and beautiful and nostalgic, but simply pessimistic, and abandoned cradle of culture rotting away. I caught Bella giving it a quick, longing glance before turning to me.

"Lead the way," she said. I looked around, trying to find something I recognized, but all around me was just the mounds and mounds of ruined buildings surrounded by forest. I knew that I landed in a meadow, but there was no way I could see it past the seemingly endless forest. Unless…a retarded but somehow logical idea came to mind.

"Um, Bella, could you do me a favor and jump really high?" I asked, grimacing how stupid I must have sounded. "I landed in a meadow. Can you see if you can find one?"

"Sure," she said a slight squint of her eyebrows; she knew how ridiculous the idea must have sounded. "Just a sec. Oh, and you might wanna back up." Back up? Without any warning, she jumped faster and higher than anything humanly possible, even faster than my ship taking off. She shrank into a small dot; until I couldn't distinguish that it was her. I could see her stop at the peak of her jump, and she was quickly beginning to fall towards the earth. I walked backwards several steps like she said. I could see her descend ever faster, like a meteor hurtling through the atmosphere, until she landed. The ground beneath her feet cracked when the force of her body pounded into the ground. I could feel my feet vibrate from the shock. Oh.

"I saw your ship. It's about three miles south of here. Um, do you wanna run?"

"Actually, I was hoping we could walk, if you don't mind. I'm done hurtling through the air for one day." She chuckled.

"Sure. I never really got used to it when I was human either."

"Then let's not waste time," I said. So we started walking on foot. I could tell she wasn't used to moving so slowly; it seemed to somewhat irritate her. She and I were silent for what felt like ages, not really sure what to say to each other. I knew I wanted to ask about our first meeting, but I was scared that she wouldn't want me to know the answer to that question. Still, it never hurt to be curious, and I am a very nosy person.

"What were you doing at that cathedral yesterday, anyway?" I practically blurted out. Bella was already silent, but now she was awkwardly silent, and I could feel she was taken aback by my question. Nevertheless, she decided to answer it.

"I was praying, what did you think?" she said. "I'm sorry, that sounded sort of rude, didn't it?"

"Nah, I should be sorry, but I'm just curious."

She chuckled. "You're just like me. But yes, I was praying."

"You seem kind of shy about that," I noted.

"No one else knows I go here."

"Don't they get suspicious?"

"I just say I'm off hunting or something. I'm never gone very long."

"Why do you want to keep it a secret?" Her face grew somber, and a horrible melancholy frown creased her face.

"I'm the only one left," she said solemnly.

"The only what?" I asked.

"The only one with faith anymore," she said quietly. She remained silent for a few seconds before continuing.

"Everyone may seem relatively cheery, but we're all scared. All these years have left us...well let's just say we're not in the best of spirits. We're alone, and this new world has become so unchanging; its almost agonizing how monotonous it is now. It's a vicious, cruel, every-man-for-himself kind of place. Everyone is kind of depressed.

"I didn't used to really follow any religion, but it helps me get by, it helps me make sense of all of this. I hope maybe God will be my escape."

"Escape?" I asked curiously.

"Not a day goes by where I don't wish that I could leave all this behind me. But I can't. I have my family, and I could never abandon them. Slowly but surely, though, I can tell they're losing hope. The rebellion crushed our spirits, especially Alice and Carlisle's."

"I noticed. What happened to them?"

"There was once two more and us, Jasper and Esme. Jasper was Alice's husband, Esme was Carlisle's wife. During the rebellion...they died," she said barely above a whisper. By this time, we had now reached the forest, and began to descend into the dark growth.

"Were they…killed?"

"They tried to protect us, tried to save us," she said. She breathed deeply as she launched into her story. "Carlisle tried to halt the rebellion, and many vampires turned on him and his supporters. So many died." She paused for a moment, haunted by these memories. "One night, several of them attacked our house. They only wanted Carlisle, but we knew we knew they were going to kill us, too. It was a long struggle. When I last looked at Carlisle, he was losing badly to another vampire. I could tell that he was on the verge of death, and so was Esme. I could see the vampire light a match over Carlisle. He dropped it, and the next thing we knew, Esme jumped over his body. She saved Carlisle, but she couldn't save herself.

"Jasper saw this, saw Carlisle in agony and Esme in flames. He was mad with fury, and attacked the other vampire, but the attacker had more backup. Even with Jasper's experience with fighting, he was still outnumbered. The rest of us managed to kill the other vampires, but by then, it was too late." She ended her anecdote with the word "late" barely above a whisper.

"We've never fully recovered, but Carlisle and Alice were hit the hardest. He once had faith in a higher power, that a great hope would save us all and bring our world peace, but he lost it soon afterward. No one else retained the hope and faith that he lost, except me. I knew it would be my only escape from this...utter insanity."

I was speechless. How could I ever understand what she was going through? They suffered through such meaningless, violent deaths which ripped the very core of their family that they could never recover from. This family, this world they now belonged to, they had walked through the Valley of the Shadow of Death, and its darkness still stained them. What sorrow in comparison had I ever known? It was never anything like this. How could I comfort her? Her face, as perfect as it was, could not conceal its heartache within its lines. So the next thing I said was neither comforting nor helpful.

"Um...sorry," I said. Utterly stupid, and not of any use. She smiled weakly, probably more grateful

Suddenly, the trees broke away, and we were standing in the meadow. I could see my ship, as in tact as I left it yesterday. The door was still open, the lights inside still on. Well, there was no more avoiding it. I needed to make that call. No matter how anti-climatic it would sound, I knew that it could very well affect the rest of my life, and possibly the rest of humanity. I approached the ship and stepped inside. Everything was as it should, with the exception of the smell of grass lingering. Bella stepped inside, seeming to admire the ship. I could hear her mouth "incredible". I reached over for the radio panel, and placed the communicator over my ears. I looked over at Bella, and flicked my hand at her and pointed to the camera. She nodded in agreement and hid away from the camera. No one could know that any one else was still here. I closed the cabin door and turned on the Skype.

A familiar woman appeared on the screen: it was Barbara, the communications robot at the Station. She sat poised and sophisticated with her crisp, unusually stiff blonde bob cut. Her face was sharp and without seemingly any emotion. Her face looked at mine without any change of expression.

"It's good to hear from you, Christelle," she said with her monotone voice. "How is the mission coming?"

"I've successfully landed," I said in as bored of a voice as possible.

"Is Earth currently in a positive state?" she asked. I responded with an answer that I had practiced in my head while walking this morning.

"Where I currently am is in decent condition, but it appears that there are many more areas of Earth to study. It may take a few weeks to fully collect all the data I need." That seemed to satisfy this robot.

"The management told me to ask you about the whereabouts of your brother," she said. I felt a slight pang at the sound of his name.

"So far, I have been unable to locate him. However, I can guarantee that the atmosphere was not the cause of his death. I will still instill my efforts to find him."

"Do not forget to finish your mission," she said rather harshly. "Keep in active touch with the Station."

"I'll contact through the portable communicator," I said. She smiled her metallic, fake smile.

"Have a nice day then, Christelle," she said.

"Over and out," I said. The screen went blank. Bella came out of her hiding spot.

"So, what now?" she asked.

"Now, we find Neil."


	6. Promise

**Sorry if you have homework to do, but I'll have to warn you ahead of another long chapter. Hope the Goodie of the Day: pumpkin pie, will soothe your frustration with my writing. Enjoy (btw, I know cotton can't grow in France, but just play along, kk?)**

Though my mind was restless, and my soul cried to take action, the Cullens assured me that all I needed to do was rest. But how could I possibly rest when Neil could be dead or worse? But they wouldn't have it. They decided that I needed time to sort out my course of action to take. I had two very serious problems; first, I needed to delay the Station as much as possible, trying to convince them that I was actually carrying out my experiments in several places around the world. And second, I needed to find my brother. How either of these plans was to be carried out, I had no idea. My whole mind had become foggy, unable to piece anything together to produce a clear cut picture. I had a hard time remembering Neil's face, his smile, his laugh, all the more reason to search for him. For the time being, I couldn't think logically. So I saw the reasoning of the Cullens, however frustrated I became.

After my little chat with Barbara in my ship, Bella helped me organize anything I could possibly need: some clothes, food, my photon ray, my communicator, and my GPS. We decided to run home, not wanting to risk any encounters with other vampires. I could tell that the Cullens were a little on edge with me around. Apart from my smell, which I wasn't completely convinced that they were over, they seemed constantly focused, always alert, their senses heightened even more than they already were. Even though they participated in their various activities, I could see them restraining, concentrating. They often stopped to turn even at the slightest clink, the slightest breeze in the wind which brought a scent I couldn't sense with my human nose.

I observed the world around me. How marvelous it was! It was so beautiful, wild, and perfect that I thought I could never stop staring at it. Everything was so green, teeming with life everywhere I looked. It smelt so clean, so abundant with freshness. Though it wasn't out much, when the sun did shine, I spent every second observing its comforting warmth. The Cullens must have thought me silly being so fascinated, but I didn't mind.

No matter how I saw the Cullens, no matter the tragedy that they suffered through, they still didn't appear as human as they probably wanted me to see them. I still shuddered at the sight of their eyes, their predatory instincts kicking into high gear. Despite their beauty, there was still an instinct inside of me that cried a fair warning: stay away. I could see the oddity of their pale skin, like that of a corpse. I could smell them, their intoxicating but inhuman smell that so sweetly lingered on my nostrils. My insecurities were not enough to send me away, however. I knew they were my safest haven in this violent, cruel world I stumbled upon.

I found comfort in Renesmee, Jacob, and Nahuel (or the Trio, as I liked to call them). They weren't like the others. For one thing, they didn't reflect like brilliant diamonds in the sunlight. Plus, they also bore beautiful, chocolate brown eyes, a gorgeous color that resembled liquid in texture. They simply seemed more human than the Cullens. I felt so much more at ease around them, like I could connect with them far better than the others. In a way, they reminded me of my friends at home. Renesmee was cheery, kind, and incredibly wise. I've never met someone as smart as her. She was also a little worrisome, but generally carried a pleasant attitude. I learned quickly that she and Jacob was a couple. They were perfect for each other; Jacob was far taller, though their bodies seemed perfectly molded when they hugged. He seemed older than her, but not by much. He was funny, laid back, and generally cool all around. He balanced Renesmee out, just as she did with him. Nahuel was quiet. He seemed to interact well with everyone, but always kept a reserved disposition. I often caught him staring at me, though I didn't now whether to be flattered or pissed. It was as though he had never seen a human before. I could see something utterly curious but undeniably attractive in his eyes; he showed a history, a life before this one, and I was dying to find it out.

After a few hours of simply doing nothing, I decided to walk around the estate.

"Not unless someone walks with you. I don't trust these woods around here," Carlisle said.

"Ha, now you're starting to sound like my actual father." He frowned. "But I see your point," I added at the end. It seemed my jokes weren't understood around here.

"I'll walk with you,"Nahuel volunteered. "But only if you don't mind," he added.

"Of course not," I said. Although I knew it was necessary, it felt irritating being constantly watched. I wasn't used to being babysitted around. Still, I liked Nahuel, and wouldn't mind speaking to him. Perhaps I could learn more about this enigma of a person.

"Be safe," Carlisle said. "Keep near the fields, and stay out of the forest."

We walked to the south of the estate, where, after traveling through the groves of trees, we came across an enormous field of cotton. I had never seen such a plant before since we only wore synthetic material, but I remembered reading about it in biology. It seemed so oddly out of place.

"Alice was once apparently a shopping freak," Nahuel said.

"Shopping?" I asked. I'd never heard of such a word.

"I suppose you could call it 'errands' too," he said. I nodded in understanding. We always ran errands to pick up supplies we needed from the Station's warehouses.

"Well, she used to love to shop for clothes. But after the clothing stores closed, and most of the items disintegrated over time, she decided to make her own. Kind of much, we think, but we appreciate it. She does a great job," he said.

"So I suppose the material on your back is courtesy of Alice Cullen then?" I was referring to the simple beige t-shirt and pants he was wearing.

"Yep," he said. We avoided walking through the cotton, knowing that Alice wouldn't appreciate it, and wandered back through more meadows around the area. There were often brief bits of conversation, followed by long stretches of awkward silence. I could tell he was a quiet person, and disinclined to share personal information. However, I decided that in order to break the silence, I should talk about what had been bugging me for the longest time.

"You're not like the others," I said quietly. I heard the distant sounds of birds calling while I waited for his response.

"What do you mean?" he asked, grasping an idea of where I might be going.

"I mean, you and Renesmee and Jacob, I can just tell. You're different than the rest of them," I said.

"You mean the Cullens?"

"Of course," I said, sounding more sarcastic than I wanted to be.

"Well, yeah," he said quietly. "I guess you could call us different."

"How exactly?"

"Are you sure it wouldn't bother you if I said?"

"Nahuel, I've just found out that vampires were left behind after humanity already left. I traveled on someone's back at over five-hundred miles per hour. I don't think I'll ever be surprised again." He chuckled.

"Well, Renesmee and I, we're…half and half."

"Huh?"

"We're more like you than them," he said. "Do you understand?" I spent a second to comprehend. _Half human, half vampire._

"Um, I don't mean to sound offensive, but how is that even possible?"

"Well, Renesmee is the child of Edward and Bella, well, Bella when she was human." I beginning to be a little crept out by this. A human and a vampire…together? "They were married by then, of course." Oh. It made it seem more ok, but it still weirded me out.

"And you?"

"I wasn't born on such perfect terms," he said. He looked so uncomfortable telling me this.

"You don't have to tell me about it if you don't want to," I said, trying to sound as accepting as I could.

"I'll save the gory details," he said. "But I grew up in the South American jungle with my aunt Huilen. I hardly knew my father. I saw him and my sisters, his "race" that he created; experiments really. I never cared for him; he was an awful sort of person, manipulating and demanding. I haven't seen him in centuries. I'd doubt if he's even alive, the Volturi probably killed him after they learned of his tactics." He paused, and left his father behind the conversation.

"I'm sorry, this is kinda hard for me," he said. "I usually never talk this much."

"Well, I hardly ever listen this much, so this is good for me," I said. He laughed. "By all means, continue. I won't judge or anything." He nodded and continued his story, feeling a little more at ease, yet he still stuttered along awkwardly.

"Years went by, but still before the Great Disaster, and we ran into Alice and Jasper. They begged us to come to Forks with them, and with no time to spare. They said it was life or death. How could we deny them? They only told us to present our stories before the Volturi, who before then I'd never heard of before. We got there, and well, you could probably guess that I was really anxious. I'd never encountered so many people at once, let alone a huge crowd with all eyes on me. But I knew the gravity of the situation, and Huilen talked mostly. I honestly don't know how I got through the speech. But when it was over, I was amazed that I could do something like that. And afterward, when I actually met Renesmee, it made it worth it." He seemed to lose his train of thought. He put his head down, embarrassed at something.

"Oh, does someone have a little crush?" I teased, but realized afterward that this probably wasn't a good idea. He looked slightly offended by my joke.

"It's not a crush. Besides, she has Jacob," he said, but I still wasn't convinced. I would need to coax answers, but I would have to do it much more graciously.

"But, I mean, you seemed really attached to Renesmee when you put it like that."

"She was the only one of my kind besides my sisters. I immediately felt connected. I was drawn to her, because we were so alike. But her heart belongs to Jacob, and I've learnt to accept it."

"But you're still unhappy. I can see it. You always seem awkward around them when they hug or kiss, and you often seem down." He kept his head down, not responding. I decided to revert back to the previous topic.

"So you stayed with the Cullens afterward?" He was silent for a moment, ignoring me in his vexation. But he breathed deeply and sighed.

"No, Huilen and I returned home shortly thereafter. But I always thought about them, about their life. But I couldn't go back; I couldn't leave my home and my sisters.

"Years went by once more. That was when the Great Disaster happened." I saw him shudder. "Everyone down South was trying to get to America, where you had more chance of escape. It was absolute chaos. Riots in the street, murders, looters running about, just awful things. Huilen and I reached the border of the U.S. and Mexico, where lines stretched for miles. Most just resorted to swimming the Rio Grande. Several helicopters were delivering as many refugees as they could, not bothering with legality issues. We eventually reached a helicopter, figuring it to be the safest way to cross the border. But the helicopter was full; Huilen was pulled on, and I was left behind. I couldn't start a fight, because I knew that I could be shot by these rebels of the law, and if I wasn't hurt by their bullets…well, you get the idea."

He paused momentarily, distraught by the memory. "I let her go. More chaos continued as the helicopter took off. I could only watch, and hoped I could find another way to reach her. But after she departed, there was a man," he said, clenching his fists, his eyes squinting with oncoming agony from the memory. If I had any sense, I would tell him he didn't have to go on. But I was utterly fascinated by his story; I didn't want him to stop. Besides, I was amazed that he was revealing so much to me. If I brought on this open streak in him, I didn't want to hinder it.

"A U.S. Army man, from the other side of the river. He was carrying a bazooka. There was flames, and smoke…Huilen, even in her strength, couldn't take the flames. I never found her." He stopped, and placed his hand in his eyes. I hugged him around his waist, trying to comfort him. He was warm and hard, like a rock lying in the sun. We remained like this for a few minutes in silence, not even interrupted by sobs. He was absorbing his pain quietly, not trying to sob. What could I say? Nothing. I had already ruined Bella's moments of sadness before; I couldn't make the same mistake twice…or several more times. I realized the grief went far beyond these two characters; it extended throughout their whole family. Everyone had a story of loss, grief, and hopelessness that waited to burst. Perhaps all these years of quiet suffering, keeping their stories taboo from each other, left them ready to explode, and I was the soul who was to be knocked over from such explosions. I needed to be there for the Cullens. Or perhaps I was thinking too far ahead. They barely knew me, and vice versa. But my fascination with these beautiful creatures, I realized, had now become actual care and concern. I wanted these tormented individuals to be happy, to live well, and to no longer suffer. Should it be my responsibility? I didn't care if it wasn't my job to hold them together; I wanted it to be.

Nahuel collected himself, and removed his hot body from mine. His face was reddish, but he still retained that perfection that only a person such as him could achieve. He smiled weakly.

"I'm sorry, I must seem so weak to you," he said.

"Well, you're definitely _stronger _than I am," I said lightly. He chuckled.

"I never talk about this, not to Renesmee, not to anyone," he said. "No one in our family ever talks about the past at all, actually."

"Why do you think you're telling me, a complete stranger?" I asked. He sighed deeply, reflecting.

"Christelle, you're the first new face I've seen in 150 years. You'd never know the relief I felt when I saw your face, the amazement. I'd forgotten what a human being looks like, so colorful and delicate and full of life. And suddenly, here you are. You've run into us, and for some reason you're weren't frightened away."

"You're the safest place I have around here. Where else could I go?"

"Home?"

"I can't leave without Neil."

"Can I ask a personal question?" he asked sheepishly.

"You just poured out your past to me, the least you could do is ask me a question."

"You would die for Neil, wouldn't you?" I didn't need to think long to answer his question.

"Neil is my best friend. Life wouldn't make sense without him. It's already confusing."

"Then I promise you, with no exception, that I will help you find Neil, even if it endangers me. We'll all help you."

"Why are you so intent on helping me?" I asked. "I'm just insignificant compared to you. Plus, I feel like I'm imposing on you and the family. I've only met you three days ago, and I don't want to seem too invasive or something by asking for your help."

"Believe me; everyone is just as fascinated with a fresh face as I am. Seeing the same people for generations becomes sort of tiring, and now that your here, we are completely absorbed by you. Trust me when I say we'll do whatever you ask," he said with a smile.

"Good, because you fascinate me just as much," I said with a smile.

"I'm sure that's natural."

"I still have the problem of the Station bugging me for answers, but right now, I don't want to answer them. I already know the truth, but I'm not willing to leave you guys yet."

"Yet? Does this mean you must come to an end?"

"I…I don't know. Maybe, but maybe not. At this point, my near future is pretty gray."

"Well, let's hope some light will shine." But the sky above made his words useless. Another storm was on the way. How morbidly ironic.

"Let's hope."


	7. Last Words

**Happy belated Halloween! Sorry I've been a poor updater, but here I am now! So, to honor this awsome holiday and happy occassion of uploading, I award you with Goodie of the Day I made for my party last night: pumpkin cinnamon bars. Enjoyu=]**

True to prediction, a heavy downpour doused the countryside. I marveled at it; how continuous yet always surprising it was. The sound of it against the window pane was soothing. I remember reading a story in school about rain, and how it used to clear away the smog, and make everything clean and clear, and not just nature, but my mind as well. It was clearing of confusion and loss for a plan. I knew I needed to set out for Neil as soon as possible. I would start with finding his ship. I hoped to fine evidence of his whereabouts there. Perhaps, although almost certaintly impossible, he was still living in his ship. If not, perhaps he left a message behind; it didn't matter, I needed _something_, anything to prove that there was still hope for his life.

After that, we would scour the area in different groups. If we didn't find him after three days…well, I would have to accept the worst. In the mean time, I would keep the busybodies of the Station quiet by sending frequent reports that I was supposedly in various places around the world. I would frequently bring well, sometimes bad news, I decided. I didn't want to make them too eager to return, to come back to a world that they weren't ready for, to a world that wasn't ready, but would be extremely willing, for their return. After a week, I would have to come to a final conclusion of my findings, but I had no idea what that conclusion should be. Should I say, yes, return, or no, it isn't safe? Could the human race live safely in the Home that was rightfully theirs? I knew they had very sophisticated weapons that could perhaps protect them from the world's vampires, but should I even take the risk? What devastation would fall upon my people should I tell them no. How much longer would they have to endure this never changing, metallic world at the Station that drove so many mad? Conditions on the ship were terrible; the walls were crumbling, the food always low, systems frequently falted. Who knew how much longer the Station would last before it fell apart? Despite our advances, we couldn't stop time from draining the strength of the ship.

The Cullens agreed to help me conduct a search party for Neil. I requested to begin immediately, saying I didn't mind the rain. I wanted to feel the rain on my face, a feeling I could only imagine. I've splashed water on my face before, but to feel the pure, cleansing, non-recycled water on my face would be exquisite, one of the experiences I anticipated before arriving. Besides, my waterproof suit would keep me dry.

So we set off in the rain. When I stepped outside, I was amazed by how much different it appeared to me from my first night here. I hadn't expected it before, didn't feel it, and it seemed so gloomy and awful. But now, hearing it patter upon the stone path and smell its beautiful, clean smell made me smile. I stepped out from under the porch roof and lifted my head to face the dark sky. It tickled cold drops across my skin, droplets collecting around my eyes and seeping between my lips. It was refreshing and invigorating. I don't know how long I remained like this, but when I heard a cough from one of the Cullnes, I snapped back into reality.

I first checked my coordinator. According to what Neil recorded in his final message, his ship landed two miles south east of the estate. So that is where we would start.

"We should run to cover ground faster," Edward suggested. "Unless Christelle objects, of course." Of course I object. Water pellets will sink and form holes into my skin at the rate we would travel. But I declined to open my fat, complaining, sarcastic mouth and instead muttered so pathetically and high pitched that my tone of voice gave away my feelings inside.

"No, no problem," I said. Edward smirked. "Who'll volunteer to be my carriage?" No one looked at each other.

"I'll do it," Emmett said. "I'll have the easiest time carrying her anyway," he said with a grin.

"I'm not that heavy!" I shouted. I slapped him, and immediately regretted it when a stinging sensation vibrated through the tendons in my palm. I held my hand and opened my mouth, not allowing myself to shout any words. He laughed.

"Rule number one," he said. "Never slap a vampire."

"Got it," I said bitterly.

"Just hold on," he said.

"Wha—" But lo and behold, I was swept off my feet and onto Emmett's back faster than I could speak. I closed my eyes and buried my face behind his head, avoiding hitting the falling raindrops at these blinding speeds. It was a frightening experience, but undeniably magical. I didn't know if I could ever get used to it. I boggled my mind how they never hit a tree, tripped, or ran over something. It was like they were in a fast paced ballet, smooth and graceful and always knowing what would come next. I turned my gaze to the side to see the rest of them. They appeared to be slow moving, their feet traveling so fast that they appeared to be not moving at all. They showed no effort, no sign of slowing down or loss of breath, if they even breathed. It was mesmerizing, astonishing. And before I knew it, the journey was over. It felt like only a heartbeat, yet I was able to absorb so much. I felt Emmett slow down, and saw the others slow as well, until we came to a smooth, complete stop.

When we arrived, we were out of the rain storm, but we still didn't escape the looming, dark clouds overhead. We had landed in a small clearing, almost perfectly nestling the ship in between the trees. _Neil's ship,_ only a few feet in front of us. It looked exactly like mine. It appeared as though it had been unoccupied for some time; I could see from where I was standing that the power was completely off inside, and that the door was closed. Without a key, the ship would be impossible to open with human hands, but I didn't see that as a problem…

"We'll have to force the door open," I said.

"That won't be a problem," Emmett said. He strutted over to the ship's door and after digging his fingers into the metal to surround the edge, he tore open the door. I was beginning to see that Emmett liked to show off a little. He was such an older brother.

My heart held its place when I first saw the inside. It was dark and dead, without any sign of Neil. I needed to step inside to observe more. I held my breath, and with my flashlight, gazed into the empty corridor. The air was cold as ice and stale with stillness. I could practically hear the air filtering with the outside. Everything seemed to be in its own proper place, for Neil anyway; the bed was untidy, clothes lay about, and various gadgets lay miscellaneous upon the table. I was completely absorbed in the moment, trying to take it all in. Neil was here, for how long I didn't know. It was eerie standing here, like standing in the ruins of the city, a place once occupied but now only accompanied with memories, ghosts of the life that was once there. I heard someone take a deep inhale.

"This cabin has been empty for quite sometime. His scent is cold," Carlisle said, smelling a t-shirt. He disregarded it onto the bed. My gut still tightened into a sickening shape.

"Search for a message, a scribble, a communicator, anything," I said. They went promptly to turning over the cabin with me, searching throughout every corner as possible. I lifted up the shirt that Carlisle had smelled; it was his favorite shirt. I always thought it was stupid, a simple blue frock with the inscription "The Rolling Stones". He said he came across the phrase in a book once, but honestly, it was kind of a stupid saying. But that was just Neil. I inhaled, trying to pick up whatever faint trace of him was left. But there was nothing but the fairly new, sweet scent that accompanied every one of the Cullens. It a vampire had difficulty picking up his scent, how could I expect to? It was unfair that he was able to be even a little closer to Neil than I was. My weak human senses incapacitated my ability to even remember his face, much less his scent. I only remembered his brown, wavy hair.

"I think I found something," I heard Renesmee said at the front of the ship. She pointed to a receiver that was tucked between a few layers of shirts. It blinked a small, red light rhythmically, tauntingly, hauntingly; there was a message on it, waiting to be read. Neil must have sent a message from his communicator outside the ship; No voice whispered it to me, no concrete evidence proved it, but I knew without a doubt that Neil's final message was recorded onto it. That receiver only stored messages, it couldn't send them. It he wanted to contact the Station from his communicator, he would have, but the Station never received word. Whatever the message was, he did not want the Station to see it. It was a last testimony, a final message left behind for someone to find. He knew he was going to die. I felt sick. Could I have the courage to see what his last message was? Not here, not yet. Right now, I needed to get out. Everyone could sense my distress.

"Do you want to leave?" Edward asked.

I nodded; unspoken words have never shouted louder. He nodded in understanding, as did everyone else. We marched out of the ship slowly, somberly. Everyone knew what I was thinking. I could see it in their eyes. I didn't want their sympathy, but I did appreciate it. They didn't speak, which was just what I wanted. I remained the last one behind. At the last moment, I grabbed his "Rolling Stones" t-shirt and the receiver, holding them close to my core. I wanted to turn back, to return back to our safe, predictable future home where Neil and I never worried. But that dream was gone, and nothing could repair what I knew was inevitable. I heard the group whispering amongst themselves with words so fast and so quietly that I couldn't tell what language they were speaking. They turned to me and gestured back the path we traveled. I nodded my head. Emmett once again lifted me onto his back, Neil's shirt tucked between my body and his. He was slower this time, not running to show off. I could fully feel the smoothness and strength of him as he carried me, as opposed to being scared and only concentrating on the racing world around me. I closed my eyes, waiting for the dizzying journey to end; I felt sick enough as it was.

Luckily, the flight ended as soon as it began; at least that's how it felt. We were once again in front of the house. The rain had stopped, and now the earth smelt damp and muddy, clean and musky. It was bittersweet and haunting landscape of wet earth and cold, moist air. I walked through the doors of the house, clutching tightly onto his shirt. I heard nothing, felt nothing. I wanted to retreat upstairs, to hide away. It was unavoidable for me to witness the transmission; I didn't want any of the Cullens to be a part of it. I didn't want them to see Neil broken, to see my tears, to see what became of him. I knew they didn't want to.

As I ascended the stairs, no one followed. I didn't look back, but I was certain that they were watching me with careful sympathy. The air was thick with tension. I felt numb, except for the receiver and the shirt, which felt like white hot stones against my hands. I didn't feel the contact of the floor before me. My vision felt blurry and it walked to Carlisle's room, where I felt most comfortable. The room was cold and stagnate. I rested on the bed, with the shirt in my hand and the receiver on my lap. It was only the size of my hand, but it felt as heavy as a car.

For a time, I only stared at it. I didn't move, didn't breathe, I only clutched the shirt so tight I was sure my bare fingers would rip it apart. Time passed but didn't. I could have meditated on that bed for minutes, hours, days. I was apart from time, too trivial to matter anymore. My heart beat slowly, but loudly, like a giant taiko drum.

I didn't know how long I waited, but something inside of me told me that I was ready. Moving with delicate hesitance, my finger lightly pressed the play button. The screen flickered to life, displaying its green background. According to the screen, the message was sent one month ago.

The scene opened with a dark background, illuminated only by the communicator's green light. He was in some unknown chamber, most likely underground. I could clearly see the outline of his legs outstretched. He was lying on stony ground. The camera was shaky. After a few seconds, it slowly and lazily closed turned to face him. Even in the green light, blurry and distorted, his face was still visibly battered. Several long, thin scars dragged across his face, neck and chest, deep and exact. I tasted bile in my mouth as my stomach twisted at the sight of his broken face. These tears were not made by nature, but by man. He was weak, exhausted, drained of all strength. I felt as destroyed as he was. His pain was mine, and mine was his.

"I'm done," he said weakly. It was barely above a whisper. I heard myself gasp. "I can't go on with this mess anymore." He sucked in a breath. "To whoever finds this, hear me clear. Leave, _now_. Don't look for me, you won't find me. By the time you find this, I'll surely be dead." My hands were shaking unable to hold the receiver. My tears fell down my face soundlessly. I couldn't think; I could only listen. "The world we though existed is dead. The life we thought could be cannot come back. The Station cannot know what's become of me; the devastation for my family, my sister Christelle, would be too great." My heart froze solid at the sound of my name. "When you find this, go home, and tell them that Home is uninhabitable. No matter how beautiful Earth is now, the danger is too great." He paused, catching his breath. He blinked slowly, weakly. "Whoever finds this, tell no one what you've seen. Only tell the station that I love my family." I felt ready to burst from shaking. "Oh, and if you find my "Rolling Stones" shirt, give it to my sister," he said, a slight grin on his face. I laughed in hysteria. Before the screen went blank, I heard another noise in the background. Footsteps? The screen went dark. I couldn't control myself; my tears flowed even more profusely than before, with loud sobs. I felt ripped apart, body and soul. If I ever felt alone in my life, it was nothing compared to how I felt now. He was gone, lost to the darkness. The only sound in the room was my cries echoing through the large space.

The surrounding silence was deafening.


	8. The Darkest Night

**Whoo-hoo, new chapter on a school night! Hope you enjoy it. God, I hate it when I write "hope you enjoy it". I'm practically begging for your sympathy. Anywhoo, plot picks up a bit. In the mean time enjoy the Goodie of the Day: recees peanut butter cups (ordinary, I know, but so damn good).**

The Cullens graciously left me alone in Carlisle's room. For the rest of the day, I felt as though I existed outside of time, a moving body not connected to the setting of the sun or the ticking of the clock. It didn't matter anymore. Trivial things like time didn't compare to the gravity of the situation. Neil was gone, no more. Nothing could surmount such words. So I rested on the bed, done with crying, but now remaining a zombie. I couldn't move or think, only let my mind fall away into wordless thoughts, colors that held no shape, images that weren't definite. My body, mind, and soul felt detached from each other, and it would be hopeless to mend them together. I heard everything around me in one seamless gurgle. Disorientation ruled now.

I landed Home alone, and I would leave it alone. My mission failed. I couldn't find him, I couldn't save him. I didn't give a damn about what the Station wanted anymore. I only wanted to return. To remain on this godforsaken, dangerous, vicious world already felt like death. But once I returned back to the Station, how could I live with myself? Neil was my brother, my best friend, my closest confinement. No one else, not my father, not my friends nor family knew me as well as he did. The only thing I was certain of was that I'm better where Neil is. Life made sense, life was worth living when he was there to talk with me, to hang out, laugh, or even just talk. My life in the Station outside of Neil was pleasant enough, with wonderful people, but Neil was the core that tied everything together. Everyone loved him. After he was declared missing, his link to so many on the Station dissolved. Many stopped talking, choosing somber silence instead. It was my duty, my calling to bring him back to tie everything together again. Now, that would no longer be possible.

It's funny in a horrific, awful way how I usually hold up an emotional guard, resolving instead to saying some witty, sarcastic comeback when something this emotional hurt me. I hated myself for letting my wall down, for breaking down so hard, but my need for restraint was dissolved when I saw Neil's broken face. My usually calm, collected, ready-for-a-comment forward has disappeared. I didn't know if I could bring it back; this moment left me delirious, my mind dysfunctional. Could I function anymore? Could I be useful anymore? Could I _live_ anymore? Or would I live like this the rest of my life, zombie like from the shock of grief? I didn't think about the future; it seemed so bleak and uncertain now, I didn't know what outcome it will bring. I didn't care anymore.

I don't know what provoked me, perhaps my hunger, but I eventually decided to leave the room. Snapping out of my meditative state, I saw that it was evening, the darkest night I had ever witnessed. I carefully placed the receiver on the bed. I contemplated at first, hesitating, but I slowly removed my t-shirt and slipped on Neil's "Rolling Stones" t-shirt, leaving the cold, dead room. Gratefully finding no one outside of the door, I slowly walked down the stairs. I heard no sound coming from below other than the sound of a crackling fire. It made a difference in the house's temperature. It wasn't until I descended the final stair that I realized how cold and dark upstairs was. The main hall was lit by several lanterns hanging on the wall, giving it a homey but slightly eerie feeling. I looked around, but didn't see anyone. I took me several seconds to feel puzzled; I was still in shock from meditating for so long.

"They went out to hunt," I heard Jacob say. I whipped my head towards the fireplace. He was sitting in the black armchair away from me so that he was unseen from my position, reading an antiquated novel, yellowing pages and all. He smiled sympathetically, studying my face to observe my condition. I felt horribly on the spot. "Probably couldn't handle your scent much longer."

"Oh, um, sorry," I mumbled pathetically.

"No need to apologize. I figured I should stay behind and make you some dinner anyway." He set down the archaic book, still open, and placed it on the arm rest of the chair. He rose with swiftness to the kitchen. There was no tension in the air, perhaps because I was too numb to sense anything. I shuffled over to the slab of wood used as a kitchen table. It was large and full of chairs on each side, but the set appeared rarely, if ever, used. I sat in one of the chairs, a smooth, wooden work with no padded seat. I spent time twiddling my thumbs. I could tell Jacob was eying me despite him busily trying to light a fire on a handmade, primitive stove. I knew he was making sure I was ok, but I was still irritated by it. I didn't need his sympathy; I didn't want it.

"Would you stop staring at me?" I said quietly, but acidly. I didn't feel like being polite.

"Sorry, I just seeing if you are ok," he said defensively.

"I'm just peachy." He didn't retort after that, but busily made dinner. It smelled of some sort of outdoor herb, and a meat I didn't recognize. He cooked in silence, and I spoke equally little. My mind mostly drifted on about nothing in particular. With great concentration, I strained to see Neil's "before" face, the unbroken one, but all I could see were gashes and loss of strenght. I didn't look at Jacob, not that it would be awkward to, but I simply wanted nothing to do with him at the moment. He was not a part of my thoughts; his presence, as well as all of the Cullens, seemed unimportant. The only priority was returning to the Station, which I planned to do in the morning.

Clank. A cracked plate was set in front of me. It beheld a salted slab of meat, several vegetables I didn't recognize, and a few strawberries. I began to idly eat, not really paying attention to the taste. Jacob began to clean up as I ate. There was a stuffy silence, but I had no energy to fill it.

I jumped at the sound of a chair pulled up in front of me. Jacob sat down, with his hands folded on the table. His face would have looked kind, gentle, and accepting, but my mind didn't bother to register such hints.

"How are you, Christelle?" he said subtly. He sounded sympathetic, maybe even empathetic, but his tone didn't lessen mine.

"I'm just wonderful, Jacob. How do you think I am?" I said curtly.

"Sorry, I was just checking. I'm sorry for your-"

"Don't even think about saying it!" I shouted. A horrible silence filled the space between us.

"You can't loose your head, Christelle. I mean, you're not the only one who's ever lost someone," he said. His face squinted slightly, like he regretted his words.

"Well I'm sorry that I can't help but grieve, Jacob," I said venomously. "Sorry that it's normal for me to be just a little upset that my brother died a torturous death alone." Instead of backing off, he seemed even more provoked.

"You don't have to be mad at me because of what's happened. There's nothing you could have done," he said grimly. Oh no, I wasn't mad before; it didn't compare to how pissed I was now. My rage and grief resulted in an ugly combination of red eyes, cut-throat voice, and wild gaze.

"I can't believe how insensitive you are acting! Just because you're pissed about your pathetic little life doesn't mean you have to judge mine," I said coldly, deathly. "What do you possibly know about loss?" No one else could have reacted sooner. He lost it. He wasn't trying to be polite anymore.

"You don't think I know about loss?!" Now he was full of rage. He stood up from his chair, knocking it backwards. He leaned towards me his face close to me; he was beginning to frighten me. "Not only are Jasper and Esme dead, but so is my entire family! My friends, my father, everyone! You've only lost one person, so don't even compare yourself _or _your situation to mine!" Jacob was shaking with rage, literally vibrating, like he was having a seizure. Shit, _was_ he having a seizure? His face was crunched, and his twitching made me apprehensive. In less than the half second it took me to comprehend the situation, he had already bursted out of the door. It slammed shut, echoing through the empty halls. I could hear Jacob grunting outside, sounds of frustration as he concentrated with all his might on some force I couldn't see. What the hell was he doing? Now I was both angered and curious, a strange and confusing combination. I slowly, reluctantly walked towards the door where Jacob was just outside. But before I even reached the knob, the sounds stopped. I reached for the cold brass handle and cracked open the chipped door.

From the light of the house, I could see his silhouette against the searing black darkness that surrounded the house. He was facing away from me, hunched over with his hands on his knees. He looked…larger somehow, even though he was already almost twice my size. I could hear him panting, as if out of breath, but no longer struggling. He turned his head to notice me, and turned it away. I wanted to kick his ass so bad, but I was too dumbfounded by this incredibly odd situation. _What the hell?_

After a few moments, he seemed to downsize somewhat, though he was still breathing hard, and visibly upset, yet in control. He slowly stood upright; his tall figure like the black trees that outlined the sky.

I didn't know what to say. I didn't feel like apologizing at the moment, but I remembered my goal to be more polite.

"Sorry," I mumbled. I turned away from him and walked towards the living room. I plumped myself upon the armchair where Jacob was sitting before. It was still warm and held the impression of his body. It faced the warm, hypnotizing fireplace. I still felt rage in my blood, but it was slowly simmering down. Neil wouldn't have wanted this of me. What use would be remembering him if I only loathed others around me? I needed to calm down, to relax my mind, to think of a plan like I always do. I noticed the book that Jacob was reading still lying open on the armrest. He was half-way through it. I picked it up; it was _Quileute Folk Stories and Art._ What a strange name. Disregarding the book, I set it down in its previous position. I heard slight footsteps behind me; it was Jacob returning through the door. He closed the door, it creaking with age and decay. The air was thick enough to cut in half.

"I'm sorry about that. I shouldn't have lost control like that," he said quietly.

"It's ok," I said, barely above a whisper. I didn't look at him, but I could hear him approaching me from behind. He placed himself on the black sofa next to me. He held his hands to his face, rubbing his temples. Looking over at the book, he must have noticed that I peeked at it.

"My family's history," he explained. He sounded much calmer than before, but I couldn't be sure. His tone calmed me down too.

"So you were a, quil-eaoute?" I said, knowing that I'd mispronounced it. He suppressed a laugh.

"It's quil-oote," he said, much better than my pronunciation. "I'm Native American." I've heard of Native American, or Indians I suppose, but there weren't any on the Station, hadn't been for several decades.

"I suppose that makes you a novelty around here, huh?" I said, attempting humor to lighten the situation. He smiled.

"Yeah, I guess so," he said. There was bitter nostalgia in his face. Good memories of happiness, laughter, but also ones of loss and danger. I knew I was wrong to misread him earlier; his face displayed far more years of torment than I could have ever known.

"Look, Jacob, I'm sorry I exploded on you; I had no right to judge you."

"You were angry, I understand," he said sympathetically. The fire hissed and gave a loud crack as a piece of wood broke apart.

"What happened to you?" I asked. I couldn't shut my mouth in time, and immediately regretted the decision to ask the question. Me and my fat mouth, fantastic. He seemed a little aback by it, but didn't hesitate to answer.

"During the rebellion against the Volturi, my kind was hunted out to extinction. I lost my whole family. I only managed to live because I had the Cullens protecting me."

"Why were they hunted out?" I asked, curiosity taking over me. He hesitated momentarily, thinking of the right way to answer the question.

"Because of whom we were," he finally said. He gandered at me, searching for a reaction. I must have looked stupid because he gave me a smirk.

"So you are different," I said, admitting what had been one of my questions for the last few days.

"You noticed?" he said with a smile.

"You're warm, you have color. Your skin doesn't glitter, and you eat what I do. But I know you're not human. You can live forever, you run as fast as the others, and you're just as strong," I pointed out. "So, what exactly are you?" He gave a slight shrug as he tilted his head to the left.

"I'm a werewolf. Well, a shape-shifter if you wanna be super technical." Whoa, mind blower right there. Not just vampires and half breeds, but _werewolves_ too? For a brief moment, I considered the possibility that all mythological beings could actually exist.

"Wait…really?" He raised his eyebrows, nodding.

"Is there any other magical beings running around that I should know about?" He laughed.

"What, like fairies and goblins? Hate to spoil your imagination, but nope; it's just us two magical beings."

"Well, that's good. I was worried for a moment." The tension eased around us. My anger had ceased, and it appeared that his did as well.

I was beginning to image Jacob and me becoming friends. I already enjoyed Nahuel and Bella's company, but for whatever reason, I always felt a little uneasy about him. Perhaps it was because he looked so different from the Cullens. How ironic; a freak among the freaks. My thoughts cooled down when a wave of fatigue hit me. I yawned loudly, quickly covering my mouth with my hand.

"Tired?" he asked. Suddenly, he roared the loudest yawn I've ever heard. "Guess I am too."

"Yawning is contagious, I hear," I said.

"Guess so." He stood up from the sofa, the impression of his body still remaining in the folds of the leather. I stood up from the armchair, which promptly inflated. It only made me feel even more insignificant compared to him and the Cullens. How small, fragile, and delicate I was; light and liable to snap at any given moment should any of them loose their control of their bloodlust. Whereas I was like a thin ribbon, they were a thick, steel cable. But then again, steel cables fray over time…

My fatigue was interrupted by a sharp burst. Jacob and I flashed our heads to the direction of the sound, but before I turned my head completely, the Cullens were already scrambling around me, grabbing various items so quickly that I only saw them stop. They seemed anxious, afraid. The spoke so fast that I couldn't register their words, which sounded like humming rather than annunciating syllables. Jacob must have heard and understood their conversation, for he took off in a mad dash, just as quickly as the others. It took less than three seconds before Emmett already held a heavily packed leather sack. They stood in front of me, terrified. I saw their eyes were much brighter in color, almost like honey, but I could also see the fear, the horror in their eyes.

"You need to leave _now_," Edward said sternly.

"But I-"

"There's no time for discussions. Another vampire found your ship, and they'll trace you back here at any moment. We need to get you as far away from here as possible," he said urgently.

"Wait-"

"No time. Hold on." Faster than I could register, I was on his back racing through the darkness, the invisible shadows skeletal branches speeding by, barely missing my face. It wasn't long before we were completely immersed in the cover of the forest, traveling away to an uncertain future.


	9. Commodo reverto

Chapter 9

I've never been surrounded by darkness. Not just the blackness of civilization, knowing that a light is only a few feet away; this was like inked velvet over my eyes. No stars shown through this canopy of trees, no moon lit up the sky. The only thing I knew for sure was that I was on Edward's back as he glided through the forest floor. Even though the air was crisp and frozen, even though the wind was stinging my face, the consuming darkness suffocated me, disorientated me. I could only imagine the trees, their branches barely missing my vulnerable face by inches, wishing they could knock me off. I had no idea what my surroundings were. Edward and I might have been completely alone in this forgotten forest, or surrounded by everyone. He made no sound as he traveled, as if his feet moved so fast that they didn't have time to touch the ground. Besides that, I heard nothing but the whipping, deafening wind.

Time seemed completely irrelevant when I was traveling like this. Perhaps because I was too consumed with holding on, or because I couldn't see, but it was impossible to tell whether or not minutes or hours were passing by. I tried to imaging the Cullens, holding onto this feeling of endlessness for all eternity, time no longer mattering, becoming indistinguishable. Maybe that's why they can't move on from past tragedies; the past always feels like the day before, and the future seems so far away. It was a peaceful idea, and a frightening one. To be forever locked in one place, to live outside of time, to never move on. I briefly wondered how I would fare in their situation, and shuddered. Could I stand to only see Neil's face for all eternity, to forever look at the dawn and think of his joyous life, to forever look at dusk and think of his tragic end?

I suppose hours passed, because the sky showed the first signs of dawn. The darkness was no longer that sickening, suffocating black, but a bearable purple. Still, it would be a while before visibility was more enhanced. It was difficult to notice at first, but I became more obvious that the wind encasing my ears began to die down. We slowed, as if Edward was attempting to decide whether we should stop or not. No, it was too soon. He changed his mind instantaneously, and regained top speed once more.

There was no counting of the seconds in my head, but I could now see time. As the sun broke through the prison of night, more light flooded, turning the purple sky into a dark blue. I could now see the outlining skeletons of the trees, but they appeared blurry at the speed we were traveling. I turned my head to the side, scanning for the others. I couldn't recognize his face, but by his size I knew only Emmett was by our side, about five yards away. He had the large leather bag folded in his arms, almost like he was holding a child. Other than him, we were completely alone. I realized that the wind didn't penetrate me as hard if my head was turned to the side; I could also hear and see better. There were no creatures in sight, no seeming end to this infinite forest that we seemed to have been traveling in for hours.

At last, the sky turned a gold color, dimmed by the canopy above my head. The morning was hazy and cool, the sharp smell of the wood and moss surrounded us. Edward slowed down, with Emmett following suit. Finally, after hours and hours of running non-stop, with seemingly little effort, he coasted to a stop. I didn't realize how hard I held onto him that entire time. When he stopped, my whole body felt heavy and thoroughly exhausted. My arms and legs couldn't support me any longer; I let go. I felt something hard and cold catch me: Emmett.

"Long night?" he asked.

"I should ask you the same question," I yawned.

"You don't have to worry about us," he said. I surveyed my surrounds. We appeared to be in a forest, seemingly the same one where the house was. But observing more carefully, I saw the raw nature of this forest. It was far wilder, more vines and moss snaking around my feet. I was amazed that I could even move past the undergrowth. It was dead silent in the forest. No bird called, no creature rustled. It was as if a predator was near. The mist hung thick around my face, blurring my vision, as if undisturbed for thousands of years. It probably was untouched, but more than likely not thousands of years; more like one hundred and fifty. The air was far colder than back at the Cullen's, and the difficulty of my breath made me assume we were up higher, possibly in the mountains. We were alone, completely and utterly alone. And possibly lost.

"Could any of you tell me where exactly we are?" I asked. The utter unknown we stood in made me apprehensive. Emmett opened the leather sack, ruffling through it. He quickly pulled out my GPS. I was glad they thought of it in such a hurry.

"48˚ 12' N 17˚ 9' E, exactly. Give a guess, Edward?"

"Somewhere in Austria. Well, what was once Austria, anyway." Whoa. It was mind numbing. I knew how fast they could travel, and how far they had run in the night, but it was still difficult to comprehend that we traveled as far as Austria on foot in less than eight hours.

"Do you suppose that's far enough?" Emmett asked.

"I don't know if any vampire's going to go this far to trace her, but I've been wrong before," he said grimly. I wanted to ask him about "before", but declined.

"Edward, can…can you, you know, hear anyone?" I asked, my voice shaking. They ran as far as the cover of night allowed us, but my face still went pale at the thought of a malicious, bloodthirsty creature coming after me. Edward closed his eyes, as if listening intently. I heard nothing, but I was sure that both he and Emmett could sense things I could not. He opened his eyes.

"No. Neither by ear nor by mind," he said. "It seems we've come far enough."

"Then can you please fully explain what's going on?"

"We were out hunting. Sorry, but we were all thirsty after staying around you for so long."

"Thanks," I said. "How thoughtful of you." He shook my sarcastic comment aside.

"After we ate, we came across your ship. Alice could sense that something wasn't right. She went to the cabin to investigate. She could smell another vampire." I felt a chill freeze my whole body over.

"We already knew how this would happen. Whoever found your ship now has your smell, and would be more than happy to follow it. He would be selfish, stealing you for himself. We rushed back to the house, praying that you weren't found yet.

"Luckily, you weren't. But we couldn't take any risks, so we decided to carry you as far away from here as possible. Carlisle told us to run until we saw the sun rise. Now you're here with us."

"Well, it looks like we're in a little predicament," I said.

"You don't understand," Emmett said. "If that vampire connects us to you, we will all be implicated. It could get very ugly very fast. It's not just you we are trying to save, but all of us," he said. "It will be immediately suspicious if we don't return soon."

"So, what, you'll just leave me here?" I asked.

"We may not have a choice. When that vampire finds our home, God only knows if he'll bring backup, and if he does, we could all be killed. You don't know if there'll be a frenzy happening," Emmett said.

"Still, Emmett, we cannot return unless they don't call within one hour of sunrise. Which is in, fifteen minutes," he estimated.

"I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen-"

"It's not your fault," Edward interrupted. "But we cannot leave room for any excuses. We may have to risk leaving you here."

"What?! How can you just leave me alone?" I nearly shouted.

"We gave you a weapon, everything you'll need for survival. Should anything happen that we need to return, you have the necessities to survive. We'll find you."

"But…what if I'm tracked? What if I'm found?" I asked, whispering.

"That's why we packed the photon ray," Emmett said with a slight grin.

"It should set fire to anything," I mumbled. "Is that how you kill a vampire?"

"More or less," he said. He quickly changed the subject. "There's also a knife, lint, food and water to last you five days." He sounded convincing enough, but a slight glint in his eyes told me otherwise. It was as if he meant to add on, _if we come back._ "If we need to return home, we'll send one of us to pick you up by then." A piercing silence sent chills through my body. We were quiet, not uttering a sound, save for my breath and beating heart, which was like a sonic boom in comparison. Emmett and Edward became as motionless as stone, as silent as the air around us. There was nothing left for us to do except to sit, and wait. Perhaps it was inevitable that I should be left alone. What was I, a mere human, in comparison to their family? They were probably far more concerned with the members of their group than me, and why shouldn't they be? I wasn't permanent.

This time, I counted the seconds. Even as I began to reach triple digits, the two vampires before me remained as still as the trees around us. _157…198…345...634…839…1200_. It had been twenty minutes. If their estimation was correct, the Cullen's should have contacted five minutes ago. No one called, and I knew that the Cullens weren't imprecise people. Something was wrong, very wrong.

I suddenly heard Emmett and Edward speaking in that pace so fast that it was incomprehensible to my ears. Their lips moved so fast that I though they were blowing raspberries. Hahaha. Sometimes I wondered how I could have a sense of humor in such desperate situations. Their conversation stopped abruptly. Edward stood in front of me so fast that I couldn't catch the movement.

"Christelle…I…_we_…"

"I understand," I said quietly, trying to sound braver than I actually was. "Just remember to come back for me." They both nodded. Emmett handed the leather bag over to me; I collapsed under its weight.

"Did it occur to you that I'm not as strong as you, Emmett?" I asked. He smiled.

"Sorry, it's hard to remember after all these years." They both gave me a slow nod. They were both grinning, but I could see anxiety in their eyes. Was it fear for their family, fear for me, fear that I may not survive in this godforsaken forest? I didn't have time to tell. I blinked, and before I could open my eyes, there was nothing left but leaves tossed into the air.

Fear wasn't something I was used to, something I'd only recently discovered. Yet I knew that nothing could compare to this moment. Should I live a thousand years, I doubted I would ever be again stricken with terror that surpassed any: the fear of dying alone.


	10. Into the Wild

**I'm incredibly sorry for the longer than usual delay, but with break coming up, teachers have bombarded me with homework and papers to write=[. Hope this chapter cheers you up. I'm also writing to tell you all that THE TWILIGHT MOVIE WAS BOMB-DIGGITY!!! I saw it at the midnight opening. i could go on and on, but I'm sure you've already discussed with friends. Enjoy this chapter with the Goodie of the Day: apple pie (in honor of the Twilight movie).**

Once the leaves settled to the ground, I remained as motionless. Slowly, hesitantly, the forest became alive; birds began to quietly sing their melancholy songs, and I could barely hear the distant sounds of…hooves? I even began to feel a brief tickle of a breeze. Then it hit me: I really wasn't alone. The forest was not a stagnant fixture, but a living, breathing, dangerous creature. I knew action needed to be taken immediately, but I had no idea where to begin. How to Survive in the Wild 101 wasn't taught in the Station; I had absolutely no idea where to possibly begin. It was only after dawn, which left me the entire day to formulate and idea. Fear skyrocketed my adrenaline, which made my mind surprisingly clear. I closed my eyes. What do I absolutely, unquestionably, logically need right now? A shiver that raised goosebumps across my skin left me the answer: shelter, and a fire, too. I shifted through the leather bag, which, as much as I tried, refused to be lifted off of the Earth. Perhaps first order was to eliminate unnecessary items that the Cullens so bluntly packed.

When opening, I found out much thought the Cullens put into everything they did. Inside was a flint, an old hammer and nails, blocks of wood and stone, several slabs of meat packaged in more leather sacs, a few gallons of water, a leather tarp, three fur blankets, my GPS, my photon ray gun, my communicator, several layers of clothing, another pair of shoes, a three inch knife, and pot. I was already wearing my weather proof suit, which protected me from all of the elements. Still, it could be a little warmer and more comfortable. I kept one jacket, one pair of pants, and one long-sleeved shirt, discarding the socks, shoes, and other various items, figuring that they wouldn't be necessary. The stones and wood immediately left the bag. I felt the fur blankets, debating which one was the warmest and most durable. One, which was thick, brown, and soft, was also the largest. I kept it and tossed the other ones aside. The hammer, and nails would help with the shelter part, but the lint seemed useless while I had my photon gun. Still, you never know. I kept those, along with the food and water, the GPS, and my communicator. I tossed the pot, unnecessary while I had the canteens. After consideration, I decided to keep the leather tarp. The knife would stay without option. Lifting the bag, it was much, much lighter, but still considerably heavy, and would make traveling quickly difficult. If I needed to get away, I wouldn't last very long. Still, I had everything I needed for protection. Perhaps it would be better to remain where I was, where I could be more easily found.

Now what? In old stories I used to read, characters lost in the wilderness usually built a fire first. I had the materials, so I promptly gathered some of the tossed aside wood for a quick fire, since I didn't feel like scouring for wood. Not sure what the proper procedure was, I tossed several logs together, and pointed my gun and the heap. But something ticked inside of me, causing me to pause and reconsider. From what I'd learnt in chemistry at the Station was that fire equaled visible smoke, as well as a strong smell. If I wanted to present a vampire hunting me a "come hither" symbol, a fire would certainly top the list of stupidest ideas. Still, there was no wind here, and the thick canopy of branches blocked the sky. Could it be possible that I wouldn't be seen, or was it too risky to try? Forget it; it was only morning. I had plenty of time to come to a decision.

So what next? If I could recall, the characters in the novels would then build a shelter; except, I had absolutely no idea how to construct a shelter. I had no knowledge of engineering: it wasn't my chosen occupation on the Station. I supposed I could use the leather tarp for something, perhaps a floor. But no, one of the fur blankets could do that. I closed my eyes, trying to picture a house: foundation, walls, ceiling, roof. I had no basis for walls, but perhaps the tarp could be my roof, but how to suspend it? Should I build beams of wood? No, that could take too long. I scanned my horizon, searching for a sign. The branches of the trees around me were relatively close to the ground, about my height. Perhaps I could drape the tarp over a few branches. I unfolded the heavy heap of raw, poorly mad leather. It was three times my height, and about ten feet wide, and awfully heavy. I struggled to drag it along the green, muddy earth, and threw it over a relatively low pair of branches. Behold: instant roof and walls! It did, however look awfully crappy. There was no wind, but I knew that it would most likely flap violently should a gust come, perhaps even fly off of the branches. I took one side of the tarp lying relatively close to the ground and pulled it taunt. I then picked up the rusting, crude hammer and several long, rough nails. The edge of the tarp hit a thick log, and I began to drive several nails, with much difficulty, into the wood. Many times, the leather tore, and I had to start over. It was a poor job, but it held it steady nonetheless.

After nailing in the other side of the tarp, I assessed my completed tent. Unimpressive, but still a shelter. I laid the fur blankets along the forest floor underneath the thick tarp, arranged the wood closer to the tent, and set aside everything else I could need. Good enough for now. I checked my watch; just past ten o'clock. My stomach suddenly belched a loud gurgle. I shifted through the leather sacks of salted meat that I knew would spoil quickly, and found a particularly large steak. It was, unfortunately, raw, which meant that I would have to build a fire. Did I dare take the risk? There was nothing around me, just the trees, the mist, and the undergrowth. There was no sound, just the echoes of my breath and beating of my heart.

Before I took the idea into more careful consideration, I spontaneously pulled out my photon gun, and pointed it at the pile of wood. I fired a low beam shot, invisible to the human eye, but still effective. The pile immediately ignited a hot, orange glow. Smoke rose into my eyes, stinging them, stinking up my campsite. I would need to cook this meat immediately and put out the fire as quickly as possible so as to bring as little attention to myself as possible. I struck the meat with my knife, skewing the slab and sticking it directly into the flames. The knife wasn't long enough: I felt my hand burn from the proximity. So instead, I found a particularly large, flat rock, and placed the meat onto in, and stuck the slab at the base of the fire, where the flames were blue and hot. The smell of the cooking meat rose quickly, and filled my grateful nostrils. It was that same meat that Bella cooked for me earlier, was it Kodiak bear? It took only a few minutes for the meat to turn from a soft red, to pink, to a juicy dark color. It smelled infectious. Using two pieces of wood, I maneuvered the rock closer to me, the slab of meat still sizzling on the hot surface. With my knife, I stabbed at the meat and set it on a piece of clean wood.

Before eating, I decided that it would be best to extinguish the flames. But how? I knew water was the answer, but wasting my supply was not an option. I couldn't think of another fire retardant. Frustrated, I kicked the ground, flinging a chunk of dry earth into the flames, coating the side closest to me. The flames abruptly stopped. Brilliant! I started kicking more and more earth onto the fire, feeling a little stupid doing so. It wasn't long before the fire was nothing more than blackened wood, smoking white wisps from its core. Now, to indulge. The meat was tough, wild, but still undeniable delicious. I attempted to slice it with the knife, but without a substantial fork, the process was quite difficult. I resorted to picking up the whole slice and merely biting a chunk off.

It was frightening and exciting at the same time, being alone in this forest. On one hand, I was surrounded by an untamed, merciless snake of fern, trees, and vines, hiding from unknown vampires craving _me._ On the other hand, however, I was enjoying the whole spontaneity of the process. Life was so orderly for me, so well constructed; I was always craving the new and daring. Although, this new and daring wasn't quite what I wanted or expected. Be careful what you wish for. Nice, Christelle, very original.

_Crack._ The forest went dead once more. A predator was near. I hadn't even realized how loud the forest was before, with the chirps of birds and distant footsteps of deer, but the presence of some unknown force effectively killed all evidence of life in the forest. Once more, it was a cold, green, wet mass of unmoving earth and air, still and waiting for the creature to seize and devour. My stomach felt sick. The sight of the smoke, or the smell of the meat, must have attracted some sort of monster nearby. My cold hands began to shake as I set down the meat as quietly as possible. It was quiet, too quiet, the haunting silence of a terrible fate ahead, waiting to strike. With my trembling hand, I reached for my photon gun. My hands turned white as I gripped the sleek body of the gun with all the strength in my muscles. My senses sharpened, but not as that of a predator; I was the alert prey, my muscles tightening, preparing to run if necessary. I knew if I missed my shot, all attempts to save myself would be in vain. If it was a vampire, I could never outrun him.

My eyes, focusing in and out, felt dizzy from the endless green they tried to pierce through. I was so weak, so limited. If there was a vampire following me, I was sure he could see through the smallest openings between the leaves. _Scratch_. The sound of bark chipping away popped behind me. I spun around, and found nothing behind me. I had never felt so alive before; my pounding heart beat so hard and fast that my chest ached, and my heavy breath felt constricted by my bones. I felt every hair on my head caressing my neck, and my eyelids felt heavy and dry. My feet sunk deeper into the damp earth, and my legs ached as they prepared for the worst. I kept spinning around, with a strange, alien desire to find what I was anticipating, just to ease my worry. The silence pounded my ears, taunting my mind. The eerie, haunting, omnipresent ghost floating around my head gave me no peace, no sound to indicate where it was.

Then I heard the steps, the quick, frantic, rough steps that sprinted through the undergrowth. I turned to see the undergrowth move, the leaves parting without gracing me with the sight of my follower. My throat swelled, unable to utter a syllable, unable to grasp a wisp of breath. I could only watch as the movement was approaching me.

And then several things happened at once.

There was another brief scratching sound of bark chipping once more. My whole body convulsed into such an explosion that I felt as if I would fall apart. My arms, outstretched, holding my only effective weapon, suddenly felt completely useless; as much as my mind screamed for them to move, as hardly tightened my muscles were, they refused to comply. I didn't see it, I didn't hear it or use any other senses, but I simply _felt_, I knew, that something was falling from above. My intuition screamed to move, but I was paralyzed, unfeeling. The world for a very brief moment fell away from me completely, as if I was detached from all around me. A swift movement caught the corner of my eye. It was a human, or something like a human. But no, it had thick fur, matted and tangled. Oddly enough, it emerged from the side of me, not from above. Then came the sickening, awful, most heinous sounds I have ever heard in my life. It started with the sound of the piercing of skin, bone, and muscle in a ghastly squishing, crunching sound. Next came the howling: a shriek of something otherworldly and beyond human imagination that crushed the silence around me. It was not the sound of a person, but an animal, crying with such force and passion that the whole forest must have been shaken. It was accompanied by another cry, one of stress, anger, and desperation; a grunt that vibrated through a chest as only that of a human. Something very hot, wet, and heavy fell on top of me. My eyes were covered with a blur of tan and white. The impact forced me to the ground. My body was cushioned by the soft earth and moss beneath me.

I couldn't comprehend anything that happened for several seconds. All I could focus on was my shallow, hastened breathing, desperately trying to bring me out of shock. The gun was still molded onto my hand, without any sign of letting go. A thick, hot streak flowed down my face, sickly and musky in smell. Straining my eyes to the left, I saw a great, thick paw of some beast only inches from my face, its long, knife-like claws no longer moving. The bony outline of a jaw rested on my skull. The tan and white covering me was a layer of thin, soft fur that encompassed me body. The wet streak dripped off of my face and splattered onto the earth. Blood: hot sticky, awful blood that I suddenly realized was all over my face and body. My eyes turned upward, my gaze met with an open dead mouth of hard, sharp fanged teeth. I heard an awful gargling sound, squishy and sickening, and felt the mass lying on me roll off of my body. I gulped a huge breath of air, thankful that the body of the creature no longer crushed my lungs. A human hand, dirty and grimy, reached for mine. It was warm, healthy, and strong, yet undeniably soft and delicate. The hand, with ease, pulled me off of the ground.

I stood to face a man, perhaps twenty-seven or so, as my savior. He was pale, but with a beautiful color only achievable by living in the wild. His face, covered in dirt, matched perfectly with his thick, matted hair. He wore a long animals coat as a tunic, and leather boots with animal bones dangling off of them. He carried a long, thin stick with a deadly looking blade attached to it. It was covered in the same thick, musky blood that oozed from the carcass. He immediately started walking anxiously towards my tent. There were other men about my campsite, gathering up everything they possibly could. Nothing was going to be left behind. I turned back to face the animal that the man killed before it could kill me; it was a large cat of some sort, though I could not identify it. There was a large, bloody, clean hole where the man pierced right through the animal's neck, killing it effectively and instantly.

"Mountain lion," the man said breathlessly. He was in haste, throwing random supplies into a crude leather bag. "Hurry, help my pack. We can't stay outside for long." Without thinking, and a little flustered, I threw together several supplies and handed them over to the various savage people. Wait, they were _people_. Not vampires, not werewolves, nor some other monster, but actual humans, still surviving, if not crudely, after all these years. They appeared as though they've lived in utter wilderness for generations. They were alive and vital, but dirty, stocky, and all covered in the same animal tunics and boots. They each carried the long, deadly sticks, as well as smaller versions tied together in a sack, and a long, curved stick attached to their backs. How were they left behind? Wasn't it clear in our books that every possible survivor of the Disaster was placed? How did anyone miss them? I didn't have much time to think; another one of these wild humans grabbed me by the arm, and pulled me along as the brigade moved quickly, almost silently through the forest. None of them spoke, and none of them seemed to be breathing, they were all running fiercely, forcing me to keep the pace. Were they even surprised to find me? Perhaps, but if I wasn't mistaken, their minds were far more preoccupied.

We traveled for at least three miles, according to my GPS still attached to my pants buckle. The forest seemed an endless, chaotic wonderland of twisting green, stretching farther than comprehensibility. Everything looked the same; nothing was distinctive or seeming to mark the trails, yet all these humans seemed to know exactly where to go. Despite the uniformity, there was still an anarchical element to the wilderness that kept me fascinated. My whole awe of the beauty of the Earth had not left me since I first stepped onto its lush floor. Never has anything captured my heart or my imagination such as Home, nor have any people fascinated me as much as the Cullens.

The Cullens. My stomach turned thinking about them. What horrors were they suffering through for the sake of my protection? What lair of bloodlust imprisoned them, tortured them? I didn't want to imagine how far a vampire would go to find the whereabouts of a potential meal, especially one as scarce as me. They sent me no calls, no words of security. My communicator was clutched tightly in one hand, my gun in the other. How far would I go to protect them? Far enough, I guessed, but I knew that I had no way of reaching them; it would take me days, maybe even weeks to reach their home, if I could even find it.

The group of humans stopped abruptly. My heart pounded from the continuous running, my breath heavy. I hunched over in exhaustion.

"Get up, we must hurry inside," one of the men said. Inside? But my question was quickly answered; one of the men rapped his deadly bladed stick onto a particularly large rock three times. There was a brief anxious pause before I could faintly hear footsteps, though I couldn't pinpoint from where they were coming from. Suddenly, the large rock made an unpleasant grinding sound as it was lifted upward from the inside. Another bearded, shaggy faced man appeared from the hole. He lifted the rock's top half enough to reveal a set of stairs leading to a poorly lit tunnel. Every one of them hurried with apprehensiveness into the hole, carrying everything on their backs with them. The one holding onto my wrist ushered me in. The opening was damp, and smelt an awful, musky smell. In this cramped tunnel, it also became clear that every one of these humans smelt _ghastly_. I quickly plugged my nose, relieving myself of the god awful stench. We walked through a dark corridor made of pure earth. We twisted through several tunnels and passageways, while I followed them blindly, unsure of my fate ahead of me.

When we made one final turn, a blast of light hit my eyes. Fire was everywhere, on the walls, the ceiling, and in one great pit in the center of an enormous room. Various men and women scurried about with chores, all with the same clothes of animal hide and matted hair. Upon seeing our band arrive, their faces quickly turned and stared. Many gasped in awe, covering their mouths. Some dropped various bundles they were carrying. They were staring at _me_, unbelieving that another human came from the outside. The entire truth hit me hard, though it was in my unconscious since I was first saved from the lion.

This was the last stand, the last survivors, the only humans left on the entire Earth.


	11. Captured

**Happy Thanksgiving, fanfictioners! Hope your holiday season wa as bright and cheery as mine. And I hope its extra enjoyable with a new chapter! We'll emerge away from our fellow vamps for a while, but rest assured, they will return. Enjoy with the Goodie of the Day: chocolate truffles.**

The brigade lead me down a flight of stairs that led directly into the great, underground hall. Everything in this huge chamber was damp, musky, and in a way, suffocating. Several beams held the earth walls upright, obviously replaced periodically over many years. Everyone bore the same surprised, wild expression of fear, amazement, and something else that I couldn't figure out. I didn't like their looks; they came across as threatening in a way, like their fear wouldn't case them to hesitate to kill me. They were, after all, quite wild. There was little furniture anywhere, and not much adequate lighting, save for the enormous bonfire in the center and several torches hung along the walls. I must have looked so clean cut, so pristine, so…vampiric to these humans, who probably haven't seen an outsider in their lives. More than likely, they saw me as a threat than a welcome guest.

A crowd began to assemble around me, approaching with caution. The mothers held tightly to their ragged children, eyes wild with fear of me. There were incomprehensible whispers that hung in the air like overhead flames. The party of men surrounding me drew closer to me, as if in a protective circle. One of the men behind me stepped out to face crowd. He was taller than the rest, more statuesque. He was also, under the dirt and matted hair, the handsomest. His face was polite and sympathetic, yet also authoritative. He gave the impression of a leader, and the crowd seemed to treat him as such. They directed their attention to him, waiting for him to speak.

"The girl is no threat to us. Don't treat her like an enemy." His voice bore an accent that I've never heard before. It was highly distinctive and immediately grabbed my attention. A woman stepped out from the crowd, the anger in her eyes piercing me.

"How do you know she won't turn on us?!" she nearly shouted. "She could be sided with those fiends!" Several people in the crowd murmured in agreement. But the leader remained on my side.

"Now Annika, why would some girl be standing in the middle of the woods alone-" he reached for my hand, trying to pull the photon gun from my grasp. When he saw that I wouldn't let him have it, he resorted to grabbing my whole wrist instead, and lifted it high. "-holding this, if she was trying to give us over to the moon-skinned?" There were grumbles of agreement in the crowd. The woman named Annika seemed put down with the answer, though not completely satisfied with it. Some of the younger children seemed awed by my gun, amazed at its intricate craft and sleek, shiny, metallic body. One of them, a haggard, sorry child rushed from its mother's arms, and tried to reach for the gun. I couldn't help but smile sweetly at the little boy.

"Sorry, that's not a toy, little guy," I said. He seemed immediately put down and disappointed; he lowered his head and sulked towards his mother, who immediately held him close to her, glaring at me with venomous eyes. It didn't look like I was going to be able to reach through this crowd very easily. "Please try to understand, I'm not here to beget anyone trouble; I was only camping in the woods." True, I was camping in the woods, but I wasn't _just _camping. However, telling them I was waiting for my vampire friends to rescue me wouldn't have gone over well with this group. They seemed confused by the way I spoke, like children trying to understand an adult talking about engineering. Maybe it was my accent, which was significantly different from theirs. I could hear some men whispering themselves, going over various regional accents that were unknown to me. They were silently arguing amongst themselves, unable to agree upon my voice's origin. Unfortunately for me, this only caused them to become more suspicious of me. Their faces grew more violent, cruel, more willing to dispose of me. _Don't say anything offensive, don't say anything offensive…_

"I don't mean to be rude, but could you all stop staring at me?" Shit, shit, shit! Stupid, stupid, stupid me and my big, fat, uncontrollable mouth! I quickly covered me mouth, but the damage was already done, their faces filled with rage, and the crowd advanced quickly towards me like a stampede. The leader placed his body in front of me, and crouched down slightly, like an animal would to ward off others in his way. The rest of brigade followed suit, croutching down, coiled and ready to strike. The leader pushed the crowd away with his mere expression; I had never seen a more terrible face in my life. It reminded me of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, how Mr. Hyde's face was often described with his murderous smile and indescribable deformities. The face snarled into such an ugly composition so easily that it seemed as though he did this often. I could see from the faces in the crowd that the leader's countenance immediately filled them with fear; they acquiesced to backing away without question. He looked so…inhuman, more animal-like. It wasn't difficult to see why; under such harsh, dangerous living conditions for so long, the human race was bound to lose its manners.

Once the crowd was a sufficient distance away, the men surrounding me stood erect once more. The leader left his horrific expression faster than I thought possible, opting now for a softer, gentler expression that was so far from the other extreme that it only hightlighted the terribleness of the other face. It seemed hypocritical in a way, for him to order everyone to not lose control and then suddenly become the most frightening human in the room. But then again, that's how power by intimidation works.

"Look, we can't be mad at her; she doesn't know our way of life. She isn't from here." The charisma in his voice was so debonair that I could have sworn that he was brought up in society.

"Then where is she from?" someone shouted from the crowd. A chorus of "yeah" and "tell us" erupted. The leader turned to face me, as if saying, _go ahead_.

"Well, um, what's your name?" I asked him.

"Dietrich," he said, smiling deeply. Something about his smile made me uneasy. He eyed me curiously, as if he was examining me, his gaze trailing up and down my face. His eyes were a beautiful brown color, but shallow in tone, without depth at all. I shrugged off his look and continued. "Dietrich, my name is Christelle Barclay, and I'm here from the Station," I spoke truthfully.

"What station?" Annika said defensively. Ugh, I had a feeling that what I would say next wouldn't go over well either.

"The Station with…the rest of the human race. We live in outer space." Some were amazed, mostly the younger crowd. But the older humans seemed to know about the Station, and were filled with anger once more. It wasn't their anger, but that of their ancestors, the anger of those who, but some unusual circumstances, were somehow left behind. This time, they did not advance, but instead only met my eyes with their hateful ones.

"I'll ask again, what were you doing in the woods alone?" Dietrich asked.

"I told you before, I was camping."

"What were you _really _doing there?" he said, as if he could see right through my thin veil of a lie. I couldn't tell him the entire story. I would make sure to leave out the little detail of befriending the "moon-skinned" as they called them.

"My brother Neil landed here and was never heard from again. I came to look for him, but I found these "moon-skinned" peoples. I managed to escape-" At the mere mention of the word "escape" the audience, including Dietrich gasped. I could hear the whispers of "no one has ever escaped the moon-skinned before." I continued to delude them into my story.

"And hid away in these woods were you found me." They seemed satisfied by my answer. Mostly everyone was now crowding around me with undeniable curiosity, wanting to know how exactly I escaped. How funny human beings were, able to completely change their emotional waves in an instant by a single word.

"How did you escape?" one woman asked.

"Is that even possible?" another said.

"No, she must be lying," one man said.

"No, she has that weapon in her hand. It might just kill them," another one interjected. I raised my unoccupied hand to quiet the crowd. They immediately silenced themselves. Such a strange group; they were wiry in an instant and then completely silent the next.

"I know you're all curious. Well, it turns out that this gun of mine did indeed help me escape. It's a photon ray gun, and it lights things on fire." The audience let out a chorus of "oohs" and "ahhs" at the sound of fire.

"So that's how it's done?" one child asked.

"Not completely. The creature was and unable to chase me, but he still continued to thrash about in pain. I don't know if I killed it completely." I was amazed by myself how easily I lied to them. But they weren't satisfied by my answer. The audience completely erupted with more questions. Many asked for a demonstration, some wanted to hold my gun, and more still wanted to know every single detail of the story. Even my surrounding brigade couldn't keep them away from me. They completely surrounded me, their anger subsided completely now. They touched my skin, amazed by its cleanliness. The felt my clothes, and melted at their soft touch. I even heard one behind me sniff my hair, sighing in the back of their throat at the sound of it. It was like I was the shiny new trophy for them to gaze upon. I didn't like the attention, especially from dozens of dirty, smelly, crazed humans. I couldn't help but think about how much I would rather be with the Cullens. At least they bathed in the nearby river. I tried to push my way out of the crowd without much avail. I lost sight of anyone familiar, which frightened me. I would have even taken the face of Annika to take comfort upon. Now I was legitimately scared that the crowd could swallow me whole, maybe even unintentionally crush me. A silly worry, but a present one nonetheless.

I searched and searched for Dietrich, hoping that he would be able to calm the crowd and pull me out. But as much as I searched, as much as I turned, I couldn't look past the faces that were so close to mine. The world seemed to instantaneously shrink from an enormous cavern to this closed confinement, a wall of faces, a ceiling of hair.

A large hand grabbed my wrist, holding tight to it. I felt it tug me with considerable force backwards. I flipped around to face my savior (or bane), and found relief when it was Dietrich. The crowd seemed to clear when he pulled me away. He began shouting at the top of his lungs.

"Get out of the way! Let Christelle have her space!" No one disobeyed him. It was odd to see someone with so much power in a community. I had read about dictatorships before, but never actually witnessed them; the Station was run by a democracy. I could see in the eyes of the crowd that they still wanted to hound me with questions, but they didn't dare go against orders from Dietrich. Wow, he must have _a lot _of power, enough to cause silence and bring fear into the hearts of his people. Whether or not I had any reason to fear him was unclear; I had no idea what he was capable of. He seemed very friendly, cooperative, and protective, but all I could think about was that face he gave that screamed _back off_ in the deepest guttural sound possible. I shuddered just thinking about it.

He led me away from the crowd and away from the great hall into a smaller corridor, just as poorly lit as the others. Still holding my by the wrist, he tugged me along the chamber, twisting and winding seemingly endlessly. It wasn't long, however, before we reached a small chamber lit by a single torch. Inside was a large straw pile topped off with several particularly soft, warm furs. Just looking at it reminded me that I hardly slept at all last night. I was dead tired, and felt awfully clumsy.

"I'll let you rest from this madness," he said kindly. "I'm sorry if my people scarred you."

"They just like to ask a lot of questions," I said, "especially about my escape," I said chuckling. I walked over to the bed and plopped down upon it. It felt unsupportive, but soft and warm. The straw crunched unpleasantly beneath my back.

"It was quite the story," he said, emphasizing the word "story". If I hadn't been paying attention, his smooth voice would have led me to mishear him. He eyed me with out blinking, his face hard and serious. He began to pace back and forth, and folded his hands behind his back, as if he was interrogating me. "I was just wondering," he said quietly and smoothly. I stopped moving. "how does one out-run a moon-skinned, the fastest creature ever known, even if he was damaged, with so many supplies on her back?" I didn't answer his question. I didn't want to look into his eyes, but I couldn't help myself. Once I saw his face, his shallow, piercing eyes, I couldn't look away. Not even daring to blink, I stared him down; I couldn't let him see through the lie. He squinted, as if trying to look deep into my soul, examining me. I felt his gaze burn slowly, deeply. Despite his kind face, his eyes were terrifying. Suddenly, he broke his gaze, and resumed his normal glance.

"Well, I suppose it's just my imagination." He gave that same kind smile that somehow held a message I couldn't read, until now. He was literally surveying me, scanning me up and down, but with such discretion that it was almost impossible to pick up. He turned away from me, and looked back at me before he turned the corner into the hallway. "Sleep well, Christelle." He slipped away from the small, damp room that I wasn't sure whether or not to consider my "prison". Could he already know the whole truth? Of course not, but I still felt completely exposed to him, like I couldn't hide anything from his piercing eyes.

My head filled with doubts about him; I couldn't guarantee that I would ever find complete trust in him. But then again, should I have any reason at all to trust him? He was, after all, someone I knew nothing about. Still, his unusual amount of protection for me was unsettling, uncomforting, like he had something planned for me in the future that he didn't want to share. But before I could ponder it anymore, fatigue overtook me and settled my eyes closed into an easy, dark, dreamless sleep.


	12. Plans

**Research papers, projects, and end of the school year syndrome thought they could take her down. She lay dormant for weeks, but out of the ashes, like a phoenix...LONGLIVEELPHIE HAS RESURRECTED! wow...anywhoo, sorry for the long absence, but ten page papers due in two weeks have slightly more priority than fanfiction (dont' hate me). Mostly a filler, but my devilish plan begins to unfold in this chapter. Subtly, of course, but it is nevertheless brewing. I've decided to make a sequel, since a whole nother plot has developed into my head that could only take place after the events of this story. I'll keep you updated, and Happy Holidays with your Goodie of the Day: magic cookie bars (don't know them...sad...)**

Even in my isolated chamber, I could still hear their voices echo through the halls as I awoke from my seemingly endless slumber. Their voices were rushed and strained, and full of tension.

"Are you sure we can trust her, Dietrich?"

"I see no threat in her, Armin."

"But she could be lying to us. Who knows what she was _really_ doing out there?"

"Now, Arndt, why would she lie to us?"

"She could be working with the moon-skinned!"

"If the moon-skinned smelt her, they would kill her before she could inhale her last breath. It's an impossible idea." Well, your wrong in that department, Dietrich.

There was a brief silence after that.

"So, all in favor of letting Christelle stay, raise your hand." There was no words spoken, but I could barely hear a slight rustle in the background. "All against, raise your hand." This time, I heard no sound whatsoever, save for my breathing and the rustle of the musky smelling straw beneath my back.

"Then it's settled, she'll remain until further notice." I heard the footsteps of the crowd departing slowly. Was I happy with the decision? Not really. I didn't want to stay, but I knew that these humans would protect me from the outside world. They were my best defense, one of my only defenses. But no matter how much I clung onto this fact, I couldn't help but hold the slightest distrust against them, especially Dietrich. He was a handsome, charming, and strong leader, but he was also manipulating, intimidating, and frightening. I was sure he had a very, very ugly side that I had only begun to touch upon. There was something unsettling, something eerie about his suave visage; it seemed fake, a front that only held his true self beneath the thin surface. He had the people's trust, which meant if I tried to stand up to him, it might not go over well with anyone else. Unless, of course, they were secretly afraid of him and would be happy to dispose of him. No, this wasn't a society that would wait patiently to handle a threat. If they really wanted to be rid of him, they would squash him like a dangerous insect that must be killed quickly. The fact that he was still alive was enough evidence for me to comprehend that I shouldn't pick a fight with him in any way shape or form.

Everyone seemed to have left. I could hear footsteps down the hallway and turn into various chambers along the corridor. I was guessing that it was bedtime for them. I was amazed that I slept the entire day, and I still felt incredibly exhausted. I settled back into my warm, soft, if not crunchy and mildew smelling bed as comfortably as I could. I lay awake, waiting for all noise to die down. When it did, I simply stared at the ceiling, not thinking about anything in particular. After a while, however, I felt utterly bored; the only thing to do would be to fall back asleep. Just before I closed my eyes, a sudden rustle could be heard down the hallway in the large room beyond the tight walls. Two voices were whispering to each other, though I couldn't understand a word spoken. Curiosity, as always, got the best of me, and I rose from my bed of fur and straw as quietly as possible. I wasn't nearly as silent as the other humans were, who spent their entire lives hiding in the shadows, but I was stealthy enough to go unnoticed by the sleeping people in their rooms. As the corridor twisted and turned, the voices were louder, but still incomprehensible. I at last came to the end of the hall, which made a sharp, short left into the open chamber where the voices were coming from. If I wanted to turn my head around the corner to identify the speakers, I would have to expose my face directly to them, so I kept hidden behind the corner.

The voices were unfamiliar, and obviously disguises to their true identities. One of them was too high even though the voice was obviously a man's. The other was too deep, too distorted, but I could still hear their words clearly now that I was close by.

"…well, she has no where to go, and even if she could escape, it's not like she is capable of surviving in the wild," said the deep voice.

"But she has that gun thingy, she could kill anyone of them," said the squeaky voice.

"I don't buy her story. There's a bigger picture going on that I can't figure out."

"All the more reason to keep her. I'm telling you, she's perfect, there's no question about it."

"I know, and I'm pretty sure everyone else can see that too. It won't be long before I'll make it official, but first, I'm going to ask you a favor; I want you to keep watch over her while I'm on the hunting trip tomorrow. Make sure you don't leave her out of your sight, and don't let her be alone with anyone else, understand?"

"Perfectly clear sir," the high voice rasped. It was enough for my bones chill. I heard the sounds of footsteps as the two men departed from each other, leaving me alone in the empty hallway. I finally allowed myself to breath slow, steady breaths. I didn't know who the two men speaking were, but I was now guaranteed that I wasn't safe here. Whatever the two men were planning wasn't for my benefit, but theirs. As quickly and quietly as I could, I raced back to my room, practically jumping onto my straw bed. I held onto the skins, trying to find some comfort in the warm, fine threads of fur.

What was I doing? I needed to get a hold of myself; since when was I a coward? I wasn't going to run away, which would have been both stupid and cowardly. After all, Deep Voice was right, where would I go? I had no knowledge of the area, and even with my GPS, there was no landmarks to identify where I was, much less how to get back to France. Besides, it wasn't clear whether or not the two voices posed a _threat_ to my well-being. It was too early to jump to conclusions when I didn't even know the back-story. I would stick this one out until the Cullens contacted me. Should I call them? No, if someone dangerous was keeping them occupied, I couldn't blow their cover. I would be safe here, and wait for a message. It would come before five days were up, that's what they promised me; it was all I could depend on right now. If no word came back afterword...I didn't want to think about it.

I didn't know how much longer I remained awake. My eyes refused to shut, watching and waiting for anything suspicious, but my body demanded more sleep. Truth to be told, I hadn't slept comfortably or for very long since arriving to earth. My muscles ached from walking over the rough terrain, and I felt drained of energy from eating little. I sighed; the bed felt so much warmer and comfy. After a while, my fatigue overcame my anxiety, and I drifted back into an unsure sleep.

Dreams are not usually company in my sleep, but tonight, they flooded my mind with intense clarity. I was floating atop a field of tall grass the color and luster of gold, blowing in a hazy, flowing motion. The grass seemed to blow me along with the wind, which was peaceful enough. I enjoyed riding the tides of the field, allowing nature to run its course with me. But when I decided that I was tired of blowing with the wind and wanted to get off, I found I couldn't find my footing on the ground, as if my whole body was detached from the earth, repelled by it. I struggled to move, but I was at the mercy of the wind, which began to pick up in intensity and violence, the blades sticking to my skin, trapping me. My throat was closed, and I was lost and helpless in this chaotic scene. Just as I was ready to give up, a warm, soft hand grabbed mine and pulled me upward, releasing me from my earthly prison. I looked up to see the face of my savior.

And that's when I woke with a jolt. I never saw my savior's face. I felt as if my very being had detached from my body, floating above it, only to slam back into it with surprising force. My legs felt incredibly itchy, but I had a feeling that it wasn't just from the straw bedding. What woke me was the sound some sort of horn, a long, loud blast that vibrated throughout the entire corridor. At once, I heard scrambling from all the adjacent rooms as everyone, without hesitation, immediately preceded to the large hallway. The horn continued to blast, which only hastened their pacing. Something serious, something bad must be happening. Deciding not to be the lonely idiot, I followed suit with them. No one spoke, hardly anyone seemed to breathe. The old expression, "Like you just rolled out of bed" came to mind. They looked just like that, probably because they literally just got up and went. I supposed that no one cared about appearance here, which was completely contradictory from the women at the Station, who wouldn't leave their rooms until they went through their Beautifiers.

My back ached, and my neck felt twisted. I didn't feel like walking, much less hurrying along, but I was worried that the group of people behind me would stampede on me, not hesitating to run me over in this crowded hallway should I slow down. Ugh, they smelled…awful, in the best way to put it. Like animal, and dirt, and mildew, and some other strange odor I couldn't identify. It didn't help that we were all somewhat cramped in the narrow hallway, almost on top of each other. I tried to be polite and concentrated on not squinting my nose, but I couldn't help it. But it was just a little, and no one noticed; they were far too concentrated on the gathering in the hallway. Though I didn't see any of their faces, I knew those who trailed behind me were staring, their energy baring holes into my skin, their caution seeping in their veins.

When we reached the central area, I could see that the entire colony was gathered there. They were all gathered near the entrance of a small corridor, which I identified as the very same one which led to the entrance of the colony. They gathered around several men near the entrance of the cavern, all wearing heavy furs and crude weapons upon their backs. Going hunting, just like Deep Voice said, but the crowd acted as if it was a going away party for newlyweds moving from home. Then again, in their minds, in a sense it was a going away party, a grim reminder of how dangerous the world was. Every time the men went hunting could very well be the last time family and friends would ever see them again. The men were hugging various women and children, their wives and sons and daughters I guessed. They all bore the same bittersweet smiles, a "good luck" expression that meant "be safe", or perhaps deeper down, a final goodbye.

I hung back behind the crowd; I knew that I had no place among the many waving goodbye to a group that I neither knew nor trusted. Instead, I spent my time scanning the crowd for the man that was supposed to be my hovering hawk, my watch guard. No one appeared to be paying attention to me, only focusing on the departing men. The room filled with the sounds of nervous laughter and cheers. My eyes suddenly landed on Dietrich, waving goodbye to the general crowd, not to any individual persons. He smiled, revealing his browning teeth that no one seemed to mind; everyone else bore the same unhygienic mouths. So suave, so debonair he was, I observed with careful interest. An intricately laid mask upon his face, it was, so convincing and perfect. It did have its flaws, however; I could see through it. Did anyone else? Perhaps, but I didn't dare ask anyone questions like that, lest they flay me alive right then and there. I shivered at the thought.

There, I saw someone give me a quick, inconspicuous glance that no one else caught, but because I was watching for it, it flashed in my face like a million light bulbs. The man was short and stocky, large brown eyes and black, tangled wire for hair. He bore a large scar that dragged across his right cheek, and possessed a back deformed by scoliosis. Apart from the scar, his face held no threatening countenance, but I could still see his suspicious nature within his eyes, deeply reading the crowd. His glance toward me was brief, but summed up his intentions instantaneously: I will be watching you. Then he turned away, watching the men leave without any sort of emotion. He didn't cheer, didn't cry, and didn't say anything. He was detached from the action, but watching it just as intently. How odd. As much as I was curious to understand his behavior, I knew it would be foolish of me to do so; I couldn't trust either him or the man he served. As harshly as the master ordered his servant to watch me intently, I wouldn't grant him such easy ganders at me. Living in the Station had taught me a few things about privacy, and how to obtain it in creative ways. With the close, metal corridors, it was hard to sneak away unless you knew the back corners. I decided to attempt that first, so scout out the corridors, find tiny holes in the walls, any unused back tunnels, any empty cupboards.

With his back turned from me, I slipped inconspicuously away from the crowd and into a tunnel opposite from the one leading to my guest room. Smells like raw meat and smoke emitted from the chambers beyond, sweet and yet burning in my nose. At least it was a better smell than the humans around me, reeking with the stench of generations underground, with only the comfort of protection around them. It allowed me to breathe easy after what felt like preventing me from inhaling all night long. Once inside, I turned around to make sure that no one had noticed me. They hadn't, but I could see Short Scary Man looking anxiously through the crowd for me. It appeared that everyone was beginning to disperse and heading right my way, heading to what I assumed was the kitchen for breakfast. I needed to think quickly, but my only choice was to head deeper into the tunnel and hope for a cutoff. I glided as silently as possible, feeling the walls for another pathway. The one in front of me lead to what appeared to be the dining room, a large, lit cavern with several crude wooden tables. I found a notch in the wall and hid inside there. It was a small entrance, and appeared to be filled with supplies. No one would look in here, or at least come for sometime. I would leave this crevice until I physically saw Short Scary Man enter and leave the dining room.

The mass of people quickly showed up, and I could only see their grimy, bare feet as they rushed by, talking quietly amongst themselves. The problem with this was that I didn't know who was who walking by. Thinking about it, I concluded that my follower would have a different walk than the rest. He had scoliosis, which would make his walk like a limp, and he would be slower than the others, searching the crowd for me with a steady, if unbalanced gait. I waited for several minutes before I saw a potential candidate. The feet I saw walked with a heavy limp slowly, they paused, and from the movement of his leg muscles, I could see that he was turning his body from side to side. After a minute or so, he walked ahead. I could hear him mumbling to himself. Another minute passed, and the hallway was empty. The sounds clattering plates and chatter arose from the dining area. With the colony sitting down to breakfast, I gave myself time to think.

I had already decided not to contact the Cullens or attempt to escape, but I felt awful just sitting around and waiting for fate to hand over my future. Action needed to be taken; it was just a matter of figuring out what to do. Perhaps I could contact the Station, but not the control center. They were destined to call me sometime soon anyway. Right now, I only wanted to talk to a friend, a family member. Should I call father? No, he was already worried sick; he didn't need another excuse to fear for me. If the Station brought him good news, that was good enough for me.

Speak of the devil, my communicator, tucked safely away in my pocket, began vibrating. I froze for a moment in utter excitement. I shook my head, snapping out of my trance, and quickly pressed the talk button. The face that appeared shocked me, but I was eternally grateful to see it.

It was my friend George, calling from the Station. It's hauntingly funny how easily I remembered the Station as a whole, but completely forgot about the very individuals inside whom I loved so dearly. Images of everyone I knew flooded through my mind, my father, my grandmother, my friends Jessica, Clarice, Michael, Ryan, Cory, Jared…

"Christelle, it's so glad to see you again! How-"

"Shh, keep it down, George, I'm-" what should I tell him? "trying to enjoy the peace around me." Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. He'll never believe it.

"In a dark place to find peace? Just like you, Christelle," he said with a smirk. I grinned back. Good, no questions, at least.

"Yeah, I needed to meditate, then you had to interrupt my session."

"Sorry about that. Anyway, how's your mission going? Can we head Home soon?" he asked with anticipation in his eyes. What should I answer him? Yes, or no?

"Maybe, I'm scouring the globe," I lied. As ridiculous of a lie as it sounded to me, I had practiced it in my head several times, and it flowed smoothly through my lips. "So far, several parts are mostly recovered, but much remains in ruins still. I'll discuss it with the Station when I'm done collecting all the info." He nodded a few times, and then his face grew somber.

"Did you find Neil?" he asked in cautious seriousness. _Neil. _

"N-no," I said quietly. The energy in my body slowly began to abandon me, and my eyes and breath suddenly felt heavy. "I found his ship though."

"Oh," he said, unsure of how to comfort me. At least he was trying, at least he cared. That's why I liked George, he understood my true emotions, even through my tough protective shell; other than Neil, he understood me better than anyone else. "Did that help at all?"

I shook my head slowly. "No, it looked uninhabited for a while. Everything was cold and stale," I said as my voice began to die out. "Could we not talk about this?"

"I'm so sorry, Christelle. I just want you to return safely. Can you promise me that?" he said, unsure of how to carry on with such a touchy subject. Safety. There was no such thing in this cold, cruel world that I was staying on. The Station itself was also cold and cruel, but at least I knew that no harm could find me. But here, death or injury seemed inevitable, and the odd part was that everyone knew that, the humans in the colony, the Cullens…

Not wanting to torture George anymore than myself, I nodded and forced a smile on my face. "I promise, George. You know me, I may stop at nothing, but I'm not stupid."

"No, but you do tend to say stupid things," he said smiling, trying to lighten the mood. Wonderful, humiliating moments arose in my mind. Suddenly, there was a rustle coming from the dining room; it sounded like everyone else was done with breakfast.

"George, I have to go. I'll be sure to call again sometime soon." He seemed slightly flabbergasted* by my quick need for departure, but he complied nonetheless.

"Alight then, Christelle. Call soon, be safe, don't go in the woods alone," he said in a creepy tone. I giggled.

"I sayes byes," I said, my traditional goodbye with him. The interface went blank as his face disappeared. The rustle grew closer, so I held my body as still as humanly possible. The gross feet passed by me once more, along with the awful, musky smell that came with them. My nose cringed. As they passed, I realized how ferociously hungry I was. Perhaps after everyone leaves I could sneak some food from the kitchen without anyone seeing me. Though, I do admit that being unseen would make this colony very nervous. Someone would have to see me so they wouldn't think I left to do…whatever the hell they think I'm up to. Maybe I won't sneak food, but ask for leftovers, if any were left.

That Pair of Feet passed by once more, though I could tell by the pacing that they weren't scanning, but practically stomping in frustration. I couldn't help but smirk. It was empowering to know that I was outsmarting the Unknown Master's most trusted Servant. Someday I'll place names upon their faces.

When the last of the crowd departed, and I heard the rustle of them resuming their daily activities, I cautiously crawled out of the hole. Looking left to right, I saw no one else in the tunnel, nor anyone in the chambers paying any attention to me. I stood up, feeling a little stiff from being so crammed into that storage hole for so long. I dashed off to the kitchen, hoping the server wasn't as terrified of me as everyone else.

* * *

_AN: *sorry, flabbergastered is my new favorite word. I had to use it=]_


	13. Getting Nowhere

**Well, I hope all of you had as wonderful of a break as I did. But reality settles, and now there's finals coming up*bangs head*. Sorry for such delays, but the cabin up in the mountains had no internet. Hope you understand. Enjoy this little chapter with the goodie of the day: chocolate croissant.**

Patience was never a friend of mine. It requires time, peace, and ease. I didn't have any of those on me. The next two days were an apprehensive time, waiting for word from the Cullens, hiding from my body guard, struggling not to think about what I've gotten myself into. A tempest of what ifs stormed around me. What if I had gone on the mission and not Neil? What if I tried harder to find him? What if I did exactly as the Station told me? As much as I dwelt on the past, I knew it was useless; only unsure futures await those who loiter with the past. What had happened happened, and now I needed to try to focus on the situation.

Those days in the colony felt like a frozen pond, a cold, stagnant place with a sheet of ice glossing over my eyes. I felt unable to do anything except hide out, powerless to my surroundings. I wasn't leaving, yet I couldn't stay. If I left, I would be defenseless, lost, and without a clue how to survive in the wilderness. The paradox of my situation only gave me time to think as I remained unable to take action.

The colony still wasn't comfortable, but at least the smell became bearable. Well, tolerable would be the better word. Worse than the smell were the actual people. Everyone constantly stared at me, not bothering to speak to me, but instead muttering things I did not wish to hear. I coexisted with them in a delicate fabric of trust and distrust. All the while I tried to avoid my stalker, whose name I found out was Wolfram. He was laughable in his attempts to find where I would be hiding from him, but he was utterly relentless. Whoever gave him his order must have been very, very serious when he said, "Don't leave her out of your sight". I could almost laugh at his frustration. A particularly funny moment happened when I saw him scurry about with a look of fury as he tried to find me while I was hiding behind a pile of stray only a few feet away. But I would always see him again, never resting, never easing on his very jumpy pace. Everytime I sat in a new hiding spot, I could always spy on him walking as fast as his limp would allow, never pausing for a breath. Did he even sleep? I chuckled. Perhaps he's part vampire. To take further precautions, I also made sure not to reside in the same bed chamber each night. It took a bit of searching, but I managed to find a few open rooms to sleep comfortably in.

I was almost positive that Wolfram was hired by Dietrich, though I had no evidence to back it up. But no other human in this colony seemed to possess enough power or command as that voice in the hallway possessed. Especially considering how hard Wolfram was trying to keep track of me. His master meant business, and no one meant more business than Dietrich. From the first evening, I knew that he was more of a tyrant than a leader. Sure, he kept peace and order, but he wa also forceful in a very subtle way. No one challanged him, no one shared reign. He didn't seem to have a second in command, only minions. This of course made me nervous, but I wasn't frightened; I had time on my hands to figure out things, to wait.

The days dragged horrendously long, without a conversation uttered amongst me. I pitifully wandered in solitude; sneaking into the kitchen after all the others had eaten, meandering through the corridors and the main hall while the rest went about their chores, almost living non-existently. I supposed this _was_ my plan, to lie as low as possible until opportunity was offered to me. Yes, I know, many say opportunity knocks only if you search for it, but that wasn't an option at the moment. I couldn't escape unless I knew I would be safe if I did. If I simply tried to run away, I was sure the colony would hunt me down, or something even worse would. It could not be any clearer that everyone distrusted, maybe even hated me. To give them any reason to turn on me would be the very bane of my existence.

Each night the same dream came back to me, each time in every more stunning clarity and exaggeration. By the third night, I was riding on a wave of thorny grass that dug into my skin, a hurricane slashing me across the deadly field. But each time, the hand that rescued me felt softer, warmer, safer, and each time the hand pulled me away from the sea of thorns, my body felt more and more glorious. But no matter how hard I strained, I never saw my savior's face, only waking with a shock to my body and my systems. I lingered on every detail I could, hoping that maybe, just maybe, my dream would satisfy me with his face. But apparently my mind had other options, and wouldn't grant me the access necessary to revealing that face. Perhaps I couldn't know because my future was very uncertain. If I was positive the Cullens were coming for me, then the face might materialize in my dreams. If they didn't, if I was doomed to remain here until the last of my days, the dream might begin to take a different direction.

My third day in the colony was awakened with unpleasant smell hanging in the abandoned room I slept in. My eyes fluttered open. I regretted that decision. Before my eyes was Wolform, in his disgusting, vile, sneaky form _in my room_. Shit, he had found me, and by the look on his face, he wasn't going to let me go anywhere. He smiled a subtle, but undeniably awful grin, restraining not to yell at me like a frustrated teacher. I assessed the situation, and with a pang in my stomach, I realized that I wasn't going to be able to sneak out of this; he was blocking the door, and in addition, held a long, rather blunt and hard looking club in his hand. His ragged hair and stocky, hide-covered body was only heightened by the putrid smell radiating off his disgusting body.

"Really, Christelle, did you think you could hide forever?" he said in a nasally voice. To my surprise, it was just as high pitched as it was when I first heard it, not just a disguise. The horrible jolt of awful humor made me almost giggle. He stepped towards me. I retreated back against the wall; I wanted to remain as far away from him as I could. But instead of advancing any farther, he merely stood his ground, like a guard blocking a precious treasure.

"Would you care from some breakfast, Christelle?" he asked. His polite words were ruined by his raspy, high pitched, nasal voice. In truth, I did feel hungry, but I refused to eat in his presence. I shook my head, not wanting to even speak to him.

I wasn't afraid of him, I shouldn't be…ok, I admit, I was in fact terrified of him. I was pretty sure I knew what his master was capable of, and I could do nothing about it. Based on the conversation I heard that fateful night, there was the possibility that I would spend the rest of my days in this awful hellhole. Whatever plans were set for me, I knew that I wouldn't allow myself to go along with them; I didn't come to Earth, to Home to become a slave these men. I came for the Station, for Neil, and I would return back for my family, for my friends, for the Cullens. No, I wouldn't remain here like some unwanted pet, or a prisoner for the rest of my life. I needed to get away from Wolform just a little longer, just until the Cullens contacted me. And if they didn't call, I would have to take my chances on my own and try to get back to my ship. I needed to be strong, I needed to think, to take action.

I looked around, hoping for some sort of idea that could help me make my escape, but all there was in the room was the bed of straw, the rug, and a torch hanging on the wall. I had my photon gun, but I didn't want to kill him, maybe just kick him in the groin or something like that. So, for all intents and purposes, I was unarmed, and he had the club. Perhaps I could catch him off guard or make a run for it if when we headed off to breakfast. The man had scoliosis, and therefore had a limp which made him slow to run. I could scamper away and hide from him; I would just have to find the right opportunity. I didn't think it would be that difficult. Despite his muscular structure, his weapon, and his cruel nature, I had a feeling he wasn't the smartest person in the world. I needed to outsmart him, so something like that; so, for now, I would go along with his wants. I smiled politely.

"Sure, I'm hungry anyway." He nodded and gestured me to leave to room. I left first, and he followed close behind me, his club swinging idly in his thick hands. I could feel his stare burning into me, but I didn't dare turn around. I couldn't draw suspicion to myself in any way. As we exited the corridor and entered the great hall, all eyes turned to me, some were smirking. I could hear the whispers, "Well, she couldn't hide forever…" Just you wait. Wolform nudged me with the club, urging me to head in the direction of the cafeteria, where everyone else was heading. Hmm, it would be difficult to distract him and escape in an open room full of witnesses; perhaps I could fall back, bringing us to the behind the crowd, where I could…well, I didn't get to that part yet, but I would have to quickly.

I slowed my pace, much to Wolform's annoyance, who poked me in the back with his club urging me, harder with each touch, until it was felt almost stabbing in the same spot he hit over and over. I did my best to ignore him, mostly because I could see that I was falling behind the crowd rushing for breakfast. Wolform cursed in frustration.

"Hurry up!" he spat at me. "It's like I'm escorting a dead person here." Then it hit me...and I realized what I needed to do.

"I'm sorry, it's just…my chest, it hurts so much," I moaned as best I could. I placed my hand to my heart for dramatic emphasis.

"Shrug it off," he said coldly. Everyone else had now entered the hallway, leaving us alone in the great hall. I had to keep up the charade. I bent over slightly, trying not to over dramatize.

"It hurts, everywhere, like I'm being stabbed-"

"I'll really stab you soon if you don't shut up and hurry! You've already caused me too much trouble these past few days, I don't need you to whine and moan." He suddenly grasped the collar of my shirt and flipped me so that his face was practically touching mine in a very threatening way. "You should be grateful that you've been so graciously chosen. It's an honor that so many like yourself would bleed themselves for, so shut your trap and keep in line. It's my job to watch over you, and all you've done is sent me after you like I'm chasing as stupid mouse! If you leave my sight even once, I'll make sure that your ability to run will be cut short." With a hard shove, he let go of my collar and turned me around. His club jabbed into my back, urging me to march forward to the cafeteria. What honor would anyone bleed themselves for Dietrich for anyway?

I hissed as if I was in pain, and moaned in fake agony. "It burns!" I stopped completely, and bent my knees down slightly, groaning in pain that wasn't real.

"God, shut up!" he shouted. I heard his club swing above his head, ready to hit me. Now! I turned to have my side face him, and kicked him in his unprotected stomach with my right foot as hard as I could. He certainly was muscular, but I kicked him off center, which meant I probably hit some organs pretty hard. He dropped his club and clutched his stomach, grunting in pain. Someone would hear. Without controlling my rational mind, I picked up the club and gave a swing at him, hitting his chest, knocking the wind out of him. I raised the club again, ready to swing it down on him, but stopped. Instead, I ran with the club, running into the nearest tunnel I could find one that appeared unoccupied.

It was a connective tunnel, with several chambers leading into storage rooms and other hallways. I tossed the club aside after a while; it was far too heavy to run with. I ran through as many passages as I could, hoping that he wouldn't be able to know where I went. I crisscrossed and double backed my tracks, but I didn't hear his footsteps behind me. So instead, I decided to find a hiding place as long as I could. I found a food storage room, perfect for hiding for long periods of time. After all, I could wait another day or two before hearing from the Cullens. I sifted through wooden boxes, hoping to find one large enough and empty that would fit me inside. I searched frantically, practically ripping off the hinges, unsure of how much time I had before someone arrived. Several attempts failed, only producing boxes filled with various leather sacks of food. I didn't want to empty a box myself; the discarded food would draw immediate suspicion. At last, I found an empty, crude crate. I propped open the lid, and crawled inside, closing the lid and I sat in. Well, it was more of a cross between sitting and lying down. It wasn't the most comfortable place, but it would have to do. I didn't have time to find something larger. For now, all I could do was wait and pray that no one would find me.

Well, Christelle…this plan is really stupid. I didn't think this far ahead. Now what? I wanted to wait for the Cullens, but if they didn't call, then what should I do, take my chances with the great outdoors? The one thing that couldn't happen was to become caught by Wolform, whom I was sure would give me a beating when he found me, if Dietrich wouldn't do so first.

_All the more reason to keep her. I'm telling you, she's perfect, there's no question about it…_

Keep me for what? Did Dietrich possibly think that he had some weird possession over me or something? Would I be kept to work, to clean? No, it wouldn't be that simple; if Dietrich was anything, it wasn't simple. Even though I hardly ever spoke to him, I already knew as much as needed. He may be simple on the outside, suave and charming, but he's layered with a much darker side, one that is tactical and knows how to manipulate situations. I would not be dealing with the charming Dietrich. I didn't want to believe that he would harm me, but that would be naïve. I needed to hold onto the only hope I had, the Cullens. In the name of God above, please call soon.

I tried to shift around in the crate to find a more comfortable position, since a stabbing pain began to rise on the back of my neck. It was practically useless; I was unable to hardly move my foot much less my body. I wished I could have found a bigger box, but I could only guess how much time was granted to me. Frustration arouse in me after five minutes when no outside sound could be heard. Yep, I could have found a bigger box. However, I remembered how silently these humans moved, as if they were nothing more than the air around them, the years of hiding forcing them to be quiet and swift or die. Someone could be looking for me without my slightest knowledge. I tried to breathe as little as possible.

My anxiety seemed to hasten time. After what felt like only seconds, though I knew about an hour passed, I could hear the commotion as people began to file out of the cafeteria's hall and flood into the great room, resuming their daily chores. I didn't hear anyone come down the hallway to the storage room, so I knew that, for the moment, I was safe. Perhaps when everyone goes to sleep, I could sneak out. No, I've already planned this out; outside was too dangerous without an escort. I needed to wait this out. My stomach growled, but it would be too risky to leave the crate until everyone retired for the night.

Minutes turned to hours, but I hadn't dared to move one little bit, even with the throbbing pain in my now stiff neck. I tried to swallow the stabbing sensation with as much grace as possible, but every now and then I accidentally grunted quietly. Luckily, no one was around to hear me.

I grew bored. In my cramped, dark box, I scanned the same pieces of wood for patterns that didn't exist, counting the number of lines on a plank while playing with my fingers.

Eventually, I started singing in my head, songs I knew, and songs I made up on the spot. I accompanied them with improvised compositions. I wondered how they would sound on the piano. My fingers longed to graze a set of keys again.

The boredom melted into fatigue. My eyelids fell gently down as my body finally slumped, giving up trying to be comfortable. At least the pain in my neck was gone now, but I was certain that it would hurt like hell if I moved it. Suddenly, I heard the cry of every voice in the colony. They shouted in joy, cheering words that were too muffled to be understood. I listened harder, and I was able to pick up one solitary word. _Back._ So the hunting party had returned, which meant Dietrich had returned. Shit. He would not be too happy to find me out of the custody of his little pet. Fear trickled through my veins as I thought uneasily of the near future. Dietrich would find me soon, and I could only imagine his plan's for me. I needed a miracle.

"Christelle, Christelle are you there?"


	14. Tremble

**I promise all of you fanfic goers that I am not, in fact dead, but have been merely studying for finals (which are now over...and I did well!) I'm happy to report that we have now inaugurated the 44th President of the United States, Mr. Barack Obama! We study history in school, but rarely do we ever experience it, so really soak up this day. Hope you enjoy with every dessert they served at the Inauguratin Lucheon (I don't know what they were, but I'm sure they were damn good). Happy reading!**

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No amount of preparation made me ready for that voice. I jolted because, for a fraction of a second, I feared that I had been discovered. But no, the lid of the crate didn't open, and I heard no footsteps. And I recognized the voice, such as sweet and delicate voice that I knew it couldn't have come from any human. My pocket vibrated as the communicator buzzed with the silent, but joyous announcement that I had been praying for. It was difficult to maneuver, but I managed to slip my hand into the pocket of my pants and pull out a miracle. The face on the screen was Renesmee's, her face serious yet impossibly beautiful. I could see Nahuel to her left and Jacob to her right, all looking very tired both physically and mentally. They appeared to be standing in the same woods where Edward and Emmett dropped me off. I pressed the talk button.

"It's good to see a familiar face again," I said quietly. I felt more than relieved, but not quite happy. The danger wasn't over yet. Oh, crap, what if someone could hear out conversation?

"Where are y-" Nahuel began, but I quickly cut him of with a shush.

"Keep quiet, I'm in hiding." I saw that Jacob mouthed "From who?" I thought of my answer for a second.

"Monsters," I mouthed. Nahuel's eyes hardened.

"Christelle," he whispered with slight demand in his voice, "You have to get out of wherever you are now. Find some cover. We were racing back to you and picked up the trial of another vampire along your same path. You're being hunted, Christelle," he choked out. My stomach dropped and twisted into an unbreakable lock. _I'm being hunted_. There is no idea scarier, no image that can save you from the very thought of becoming prey. It's encoded into every animal's instincts. "Where are you hiding right now? We need to find you before the other vampire does."

"I'm hiding inside of an underground human colony, somewhere in Austria. Where are you?" Their eyes widened at the words "human colony", and why shouldn't they. It's not often that you hear of a animal that you once though extinct was still alive. But they quickly shook off their disbelief and went back to business.

"We think we're close to you. We followed Edward and Emmett's trails to your scent, but now we're at a point where the trail is tainted."

"A small hunting group of rogue humans found me and have kept me here since. But it's not safe, someone is coming after me, and you have to find the colony soon or-"

The world around me suddenly expanded beyond the tiny box. A rush filled me as my head was released from the confines of its uncomfortable position. What a relief to smell the fresh air…no, this air wasn't fresh. It unpleasantly smelled of animal, dirt, and some other wretched odor. Without a pause, I clicked the off button on the communicator. My eyes traced their gaze from the screen to the looming shadow above me. The ecstatic rush left me, giving my hand away to dance with a sickening pang in my stomach. A quiet monster greeted me with restrained, seething contempt. It was Dietrich, smiling gently but his eyes filled with cruel subtlety.

"Well, what do we have here?" he said. I was utterly defenseless, cramped in a tiny box with my only defense still in my room. Three cheers for hopeless rescue. "I must say, you haven't been playing hide-and-seek with Wolfram very fairly," he uttered calmly. Before I could react, he grabbed my arm with surprising force and practically threw me out of the box. I was on my feet, facing him, with his impossibly strong grip still holding onto my arm. The circulation in my hand weakened, and a wave of numbness came over my arm. His face was calm, but I knew better than to believe that he would remain calm for much longer.

"You said I could leave when I wanted to. I heard you," sounding pathetically desperate. He smiled unpleasantly.

"Well, who's to say that you won't change your mind?"

"Oh, please, do you think that I could possibly want to be kept in this godforsaken hellhole the rest of my life _with you?_ Priceless," I snarled. "I'll be gone before you can blink." Big mistake. His eyes narrowed, and I could feel his betệ noir slowly creeping out.

Dietrich grabbed me by the arm and pushed me against the walls, his face only inches from mine. His face, as if by magic, seemed to grow darker. His eyes looked horribly black, and his face cringed into an anger and animalistic want that I for sure thought he would rip my head off with his own teeth. The room, already cold and damp, felt like a Siberian draft blew in, and a cold penetrated straight through my body. But that wasn't what caused me to shiver. His venomous glare never left my unblinking eyes.

"You know Christelle," he said in a voice that was like a guttural screech,"perhaps I'll just tell everyone myself how much you've decided to embrace me." My subconscious rose within me and kicked his shin. He raised a hand as if to strike me with his blunt fist. I closed my eyes, bracing myself for impact.

"Dietrich, are you there? We're ready for the feast to begin!" a voice called from beyond the hallways.

As if his charming voice switched to the on position, he replied, "I'll be there shortly. Get started, I'll come in later." Even with his smooth voice, his face still bore that hideous countenance. "We'll need to find somewhere quieter, you and I." He pulled a rather sharp looking, crudely shaped knife from his pocket. He spun me around so that my back was to him and my face was pressed against the wall. The knife gently poked into the small of my back. "Walk, and don't try to leave me," he ordered. He pushed me along out of the storage room and deeper and deeper into the hallway. There wasn't much light back here, and the walls smelt of mildew. I couldn't see where we were going, but he appeared to know exactly where we were headed. He pushed me further along. If I slowed, the tip of the knife pressed harder into my back, the danger of spilt blood escalating. My heavy heartbeat seemed to drown my ears in its rhythmic pounding. Not even my breath or our footsteps could sound louder than the drum in my chest. I was sweating, though my skin felt impossibly cold. The walking was stopped short.

Dietrich seemed to be fumbling around, tracing his hand along the walls, looking for something. Not once his grip loosen, not once did he remove the tip of the knife from the back of my head. His hand tapped against what sounded like a very thick, wooden door. The sounds of hinges creaked, and a ghostly light suddenly flooded the dark, empty corridor. There only a foot above my head was an opening in the roof, leading to the nightly world outside.

"Climb out," he ordered harshly. Well, we certainly would be away from any humans outside. "Please don't try to escape," he said. It was funny, because the last comment was said less like an order and more like asking for a favor. Well, I certainly couldn't outrun him, so what choice did I have? He began to wrap his arm around my waist as if to help me up.

"Don't touch me," I growled. I half expected him to retaliate at me, but he surprisingly complied with my demands and let go of me. Lifting myself out of the chamber and into the open, clean air was like a criminal being washed of every sin he ever committed. I don't think I'll ever appreciate fresh air more in my life than that very moment. No smell of sickness and ugliness and confinement. What a concept. The moon, the big, fat, warm moon looked so cold behind its curtain of thick pine trees. The air was biting cold, so much more than any part of the colony. Now it was the cold's turn to make me shiver. For a brief millisecond, I felt a smidge of peace. But reality struck me once more in the face when I heard Dietrich follow close behind. He closed the trap door into the earth, with a large bolder on top of it as a weight and a cover. He once more grabbed my arm, but this time he didn't spin me to face him, but instead held me as if I was something he wouldn't ever let go of in his life. It wasn't completely malevolent, as if he intended to hurt me. It was, above anything else, very possessive. I heard him inhale and exhale deeply.

"What are you hiding, Christelle?" he asked calmly, yet there was still the threat of aggression in his voice. The outside air seemed to make his temper settle down. But then again, it made mine settle as well. I didn't answer his question. It was then that he turned to face me. His face was still as threatening and cruel as ever, but in the silvery glow of the moon, another expression seemed to appear that couldn't be seen in the darkness of the cave. It was one of need, of want, of demand. Fear laughed at me. "You must be hiding something from me; otherwise you would have at least answered 'nothing'. But then again, I wouldn't have believed you otherwise."

"I don't have to tell you anything other than what you already know."

"Stubborn, are we? You know, I could have learned so much about you if you just stayed with Wolform. But there's more fun in surprise, don't you think?"

"The only thing I'm thinking of is my friends who won't be too happy to see you when they show up." He laughed a very serious and bitter laugh.

"I don't care," he said. What an odd thing for him to say. "Really, it doesn't matter if any of your friends from the Station or whatever the hell you call it come, because I'm not afraid of them." I bit my tongue. He does enjoy surprises after all. I'm sure this one won't a pleasant one though.

"You know, Christelle, I wasn't sure if you could stand life on Earth for a few days, but it seems you did just fine. How does a few more years sound?" he said coldly.

"_What?"_ Dietrich pulled me closer. His hand continued to grasp my now white arm.

"I must say, you're quite remarkable, something that doesn't exist in any single woman down there." I guess I knew where this was going, but my mind refused to believe such an idea. I felt disgusted. "Wolfram was right after all; you've been given an honor I wouldn't _dare _give to anyone else." Get out, get out, get out! Where the hell was the Cullens?! "So I was thinking, why don't we just get out of here, and leave that 'hellhole' as you called it. It's an awful place, don't you think?" For a few seconds, I remained speechless as he waited for my response. The words eventually did form in my mouth.

"If you think I could _ever_ possibly _want _to be with you, then you must be the dumbest bastard in the entire world." If I had blinked, I would have missed him placing the knife underneath my chin.

"It's not a question of you or I, it's us. I've been waiting all my life to leave all those putrid people, but I was waiting for the right person to join me. Their quite a violent, stupid, loathesome group of people. You're the most decent character I've ever met; you're clean, strong, and smart, but you can't survive alone. If you had made a run from the colony, I guarantee that you would be dead within three days. But with me, we'll bring the dawning of a new era for humans. We'll live above ground, as we should always have been. And with your weapon against the moon-skinned, we'll take control." And then I realized, I wasn't rescued from that mountain lion, only claimed by a greater beast. To Dietrich, I was his toy, a part of an experiment. He smiled, as if he believed that I would agree to his plan, as if I would hug him and congratulate him on his genius.

"I'll offer you protection, of course, and in return I simply ask for your loyalty."

"No, you're asking me for my soul. You're insane." The tip pushed harder into my stomach, stinging through my clothes. I hissed in pain as I felt it gently pierce. A drop of blood slithered down my stomach.

"What choice do you have? Your brother is dead, and you will die if you try to escape. You should accept that God fated us to be together." I spat in his face, which only made him press the knife ever harder into my stomach. More blood accompanied the piercing, sharp pain. I used all my energy not to scream. He would not defeat me. "Choose me, and I will give you life, Christelle. There's nothing beyond me or the colony." With his other hand that held my arm, he now crushed my hand with. The rush of blood to my numb arm jolted some hidden adrenaline within me.

"You won't give me life, you'll suck it out of me you filthy vampire," I snarled. I knew taunting him would only provoke him further, but I could feel the Cullens coming. I knew deep within my veins that they would rescue me. I braced for further penetration by the knife, but instead, Dietrich laughed an unmirthful laugh, one that sounded more like a crackled hyena than an actual cry of amusement. It was a sound that I would remember for the rest of my life.

"We're all vampires one way or another, Christelle. We all use, we all drain, we all hunt the innocent, don't you think?" He stared menacingly, obsessively at me for what felt like hours, but only have been a few seconds. "So, to be continued," he said. His face tilted and advanced towards mine. I closed my eyes and clenched my freed fist, ready to strike, even though my rational mind knew that it would only bring me closer to his rage.

But his face never met mine.

I would have taken Dietrich's ungodly laugh over the next sound I heard any day. It was a throat-ripping cry unmatched by any creature known to man. It was a scream that would invade my dreams, conceivably every night for the rest of my life. Instantly, the knife left a slight scratch along my stomach as Dietrich was thrown sideways by a blur. I didn't scream; how could I? For an indescribable amount of time, what I watched existed out of time. There was only a blur, as if everything solid melted into liquid. The only solid object was Dietrich, thrown by the blur against every tree in sight with stupendous force. The first blur was accompanied by a two more blurs.

My head, without warning, snapped back into reality, and everything instantly sharpened. No poet, no musician, no writer could fully capture how awful, terrifying, yet gloriously enrapturing the scene before me was. My eyes first went to Dietrich, whose body lay broken and crumpled at the foot of a massive pine. Gashes from tree branches formed maps in his skin, and his hair was wet and sticky with blood. Next to his body, with his fists clenched, and plugging his nose, was Nahuel. Had the cry come from him? His face was just as beautiful as I remembered, but it was a gruesome beauty now, almost as ugly as Dietrich's. Somehow, his glorious face only made the rage that contorted his face even more terrible. It wasn't a face of evil, though, but a face of pure protection, outlined by the desperate need to save. Many seconds passed before I could break my gaze from his wild and passionate eyes.

Next to him was Renesmee, holding back Nahuel, as motionless as if she was carved into the forest. She was straining against Nahuel, but also against the smell of blood that was so strong that even I noticed it. Between Nahuel and Dietrich was the only creature that really matched the literal definition of monster. I've seen wolves in books, but I don't think they were ever this large. It was almost the size of a bear, if not larger. Its russet colored fur was long and shaggy, and its yellow eyes were serious. In his teeth, he appeared to be holding a pair of white cotton fabric. So this is what Jacob can become. My muscles forgot to move. My mouth forgot that it had hinges.

"Nahuel, it's ok," Renesmee said with restraint calm. She was trying so hard not to resist the smell around her. I could only imagine how tempting it must feel for her and Nahuel. My body felt detached from my head as I reached out and started walking towards my three saviors. None of them moved. My hand touched Nahuel's shoulder; he looked like he needed the most comfort. His determined face bore a torturous, indescribable expression. I nodded my head slightly to reassure him more. He calmed instantly, erasing the frightening rage within him. He now returned to himself in his quiet, reserved, yet emotional beauty. He inhaled slightly.

"He hurt you," he whispered. I looked down at the now obvious blood stain on my shirt.

"I'm fine, Nahuel, I'm safe-"

"No, you're not," Renesmee said. "We managed to run ahead of him, but that vampire is still following us, and now Nahuel has left a trail of fresh blood for him to follow," she said in a criticizing tone. Nahuel looked down shamefully. "He'll follow the trail to you, to us, and to every one of those humans you've been with." Jacob left Dietrich's side and briefly disappeared behind a pine tree. Moments later, he returned in his tall, human form wearing a pair of cotton pants.

"There's not much time, where's the colony? We need to move them somewhere safer, and we'd better do it now." The forest was densely quiet with the thickness of the air, the tension, and the danger. There were no flying birds, no sounds of hooves; no reassuring sound that proved any of this was real. All I could hear was the sound of my beating heart. All that moved was the cloud of my breath before my face. For a moment, I could breathe easily. But then I realized; it wasn't over. Perhaps it would never be over. Perhaps I was doomed to have a life filled with constant danger. How wonderfully exciting.

"Follow me, then," I said, and I lifted up the rock that served as the cover for the door into the earth. We jumped one by one into the darkness that blanketed every particle of space around us. God only knew if I would emerge from it safely.


	15. Servatis a periculum

**i would just like to inform you readers that I am not, in fact dead (did I say that last chapter). New stuff has been happening lately, and I regret to say that Fanfiction has fallen on my list of priorities. I will have to say that we have come to the last two to three chapters of "Where the Lost Ones Go". I know, tear, but fear not! A currently unnamed sequal is in development, and to be honest, it was originally going to be the original, but advancement of the story now prevented events from happening. It will tie together nicely though. When I have the first chapter of the sequal done, I'll post a link on the final chapter of this story. Enough of my babbling, take a raspberry truffle and enjoy.**

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I didn't care if we had to hurry; I had to speak to Nahuel. _Now_.

"Nahuel...what you did back there..." I said, fumbling to grasp his arm in the pitch blackness of the hallway.

"Um, Christelle, I'm Renesmee," said a sweet voice.

"Oh, sorry," I said letting go. They all walked so fast that I was practically running to catch up. I felt a light touch on my shoulder.

"Here I am," said Nahuel blankly. With a swift motion, I grasped his arm.

"Nahuel, back there, outside, you just…killed him, Nahuel. I-I what am I supposed to think about this?!" I asked disbelieving that he was capable.

"He was a fiend," he said stoically. "He tried to hurt you. I had to stop him." We were jogging faster now.

"Yeah, but you didn't have to _kill_ him! And now his fresh blood is steaming like a Las Vegas neon sign shouting 'over here! Fresh goods over here!'"

"It's steaming like a what?" he asked. I was running as fast as my legs would carry me.

"Nevermind. Look, can we all just stop for one second, please?" They obeyed, and immediately halted in the hallway, now glowing faintly with the traces of advancing light. I could barely see the outlines of their silhouettes. I breathed heavily, not just from being out of breath, but from the overwhelming events that occurred in the last hour. I needed a moment to pause and think.

"Look, we can't just march in there and say, 'hey everyone, guess what? You're leader's been killed by a couple of vampires and a werewolf! So follow me, and everything will be ok!'"

"Chill, Christelle, we won't be that blunt. Maybe just a little blunt," Jacob said. I'm sure he was smiling, but my dim human eyes couldn't cut through the thick darkness well enough to tell.

"I'm being serious! How will we carry this out? Listen, they know who you are, at least, they sort of do. They would go into a panic if a "moon-skinned" discovered their colony. No offense Renesmee and Nahuel," I added. The simple act of slowing down to think things through calmed my mind and the future grew clearer and clearer.

"None taken. But by what you say, you're right. It would be impossible for us to gain their trust if they think we're the devil's spawn," Renesmee joked.

"But seriously," Nahuel said. "So we can't go in there. So what do we do?"

It became clear to me spontaneously. I didn't think it completely through, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

"Nahuel, Renesmee, you go to the surface and search for the vampire. Jacob and I will divide the colony into half and split up to find refuge out of here."

"Why do you need me?" Jacob asked.

"Jacob, with you're physique, they'll trust you to protect them any day." He seemed flattered. But it was true; these paranoid, underground dwellers would trust a tall, strong, dark skinned man than two short, pale moon-skinned.

"Sounds great, but where do we take them, exactly?"

"Well, we know for sure that they must leave this colony. If and when that vampire finds Dietrich, he'll follow the scent to this tunnel, and to the rest of the colony."

"Look, Christelle, I would have no problem fighting one sorry little newborn off. I'm strong enough."

"Well, my objective was to not scare the hell out of these people. There would be mass hysteria."

"Good point."

"Well, perhaps…I know that a group of men go hunting often. They must have some sort of fallback protection they depend on out there. It's a long shot, but maybe one of them knows a safe place for groups to hide in."

"And if not?" Renesmee asked.

"Then…I don't know. I'll figure it out when that happens."

"Then I guess we'll head out," Renesmee said. She and Nahuel turned to leave, but I interrupted one final time.

"Nahuel," I said, pointing at him, "you and I _will_ talk after this is over." He chuckled at my scold, but his face was very serious. He and Renesmee began to run in the opposite direction, disappearing into the dark oblivion.

"You ready?" Jacob asked me. Did I have time to not be?

"Let's go." We walked further down the hallway. The light grew brighter and brighter, but so did the awful smell. Even Jacob was repulsed by it.

"Seriously, how did you live with people who smell like shit?" he asked.

"I have no idea," I said, smiling just a little. Joking around like this made the situation seem less dire, and it made me feel much safer. But the danger still loomed ominously in the back of my head.

When we reached the great room, everyone was gathered about with their usual routine, but there was a different atmosphere to it all. Everyone seemed far more tense than usual. Despite the fact that it was crowded, hardly anyone spoke a word. Wolfram had probably made them very nervous after he was found beaten up by me. It was as if they already knew that Dietrich was dead.

When Jacob and I emerged into plain view, it wasn't just Jacob that was taking a good look around. All eyes focused right on us, suspicion seeping through them. Many looked at Jacob in horror and fright. I didn't believe them; he was intimidating when I first saw him. But I saw that he smiled kindly in the hopes of appearing friendlier. None of them bought it. They began to advance to us cautiously, unsure of what to do. I could hear them whisper amongst themselves as they clutched tightly to anything that slightly resembled a weapon. Jacob leaned over to speak to me.

"Say something," he whispered.

"Like what? Nothing's going to satisfy these people."

"I don't care, anything. Something that will give them a sense of what's going on." Well, here's goes nothing.

"Everyone, I have an announcement to make," I said loudly. They paused briefly, but their hostility did not cease.

"Dietrich himself has given me direct orders that we need to divide the colony and leave immediately." Well that certainly wasn't blunt. Commotion ensued, and everyone began to talk at once, demanding more. Jacob silenced everyone when he raised his hand, as if by magic. I guess no one wanted to go against the muscular stranger.

"Now, everyone, this is Jacob. He's a friend of mine from the Station, and he will be leading half of you to a more secure location." He nodded and gave a friendly wave.

"Why doesn't Dietrich come here and tell us himself? And why should we follow you anyway?" A chorus of agreement erupted. I had to shout a few times to allow myself to speak again.

"Listen! You are all in danger, and we need to evacuate the colony now. Dietrich is out patrolling the area, keeping you safe as we speak." Best to lie than give them the ugly truth. People's faces went dead at the word danger, but in a way, took comfort to the fact that Dietrich was "patrolling" for them. I'm sure many were wondering why he had not gone to the feast. One woman's face was not convinced: Annika. With a great frown upon her face, she spoke up against me.

"Just what are we in danger of, exactly?" she said snidely. Several others said, "Yeah, what?" I looked at Jacob for an answer. He raised his eyebrows. _Should we?_ I asked telepathically. He shrugged as if saying, "Do you have a better idea?" So I took a deep breath, and prepared myself to say something I'm sure they wouldn't like.

"Everyone," I said seriously, "we have reason to believe that a moon-skinned has found us." Many gasped, one screamed, and everyone began to speak frantically to each other. Mothers hugged their children, and men held onto their wives closely. "Now, wait, we should have no real reason to panic."

"I knew it, you brought them here!" shouted someone. Mass chaos ensued. Their voices spoke of violence and hinted toward riot. They advanced toward me with very unpleasant intentions. Anxiety flooded me, but I didn't feel hopeless; I was the one with a weapon after all. I pulled out my photon gun and held it up, not pointing to any specific person. They backed away immediately, their eyes wide with fright.

"Stay back!" I shouted. It sounded stupid to me, but it worked at least. "Now listen, if you don't do as we say, then we'll all be found, do you understand?" I said with almost scolding demand. They were silent, shifting their eyes to each other briefly. After a few moments, they began to whisper, "She's right." At least we were getting somewhere. This was good.

"Now, who here is with the hunting party?" About seven men raised their hands. Here goes nothing. "When you go out to hunt, where do you stay?" One man, tall and formidable, spoke up.

"About a mile away to the north there's a small underground tunnel we stay in, and another one a mile in the opposite direction." I felt relief lift my shoulders high above my head. We had somewhere to go; we wouldn't just be wandering around like sitting ducks.

"Then it's settled, we'll divide everyone in half. Those who go with Jacob will head to the north tunnel, and those who pair with me will head south."

"And what happens if we are attacked on the surface?" Annika asked coldly.

"Don't worry, I have other friends from the Station who are patrolling with Dietrich, and I have my gun."

"What about Jacob? How will he plan to protect us?" she asked, thinking she had me there.

"Jacob is perfectly capable of protecting you," I said. She glanced up and down his huge body, and with a smug look, said no more. I didn't smile, but I was grinning on the inside.

"Anyone who wishes to object can stay behind, but I cannot guarantee that you will be here in the morning," Jacob said, taking the stand. No one spoke, no one moved, not even Annika. "No objections then?" he asked. A slight cough broke the silence. "Well then, everyone drop what you are doing and split up; we'll only be out for a night, so bring nothing with you, especially food. Whoever wishes to join Christelle can move to the left, and anyone who wants to come with me can move to the right." The group, slowly but definitely, migrated into two distinct groups. I had about three or four more than Jacob, probably because they were more comfortable with me. Both of our groups had members of the hunting party who would lead the way. Various tools dropped and remained untouched upon the dirt floor, as well as bits of bread, meat, and cheese. Families stayed together, not daring to separate. The women clung onto their children, the lovers held each other's hands. Some straggled, unable to decide the best route to choose. In the end, however, no one decided stood alone. I sighed, happy that the most difficult part of this process was over. Now came the easier, but far more dangerous part.

"Alright, everyone, we'll move out, then. My group, we'll leave first. Jacob, give your group at least ten minutes before you leave," I said. I wasn't sure why separation of time would matter, but I think I read about it in a war novel once. My large group of about seventeen began to move out surprisingly swiftly. Everyone seemed awfully jumpy, and who could blame them? We all crowded into the small, damp hallway which leads to the hatch. I was once more gently reminded of the spectacular smell of cramped, underground humans. Everyone was quiet; there were occasional whispers, but no one asked questions out loud. It was very eerie, leading these people into the unknown. I wondered briefly how many had ever actually seen the outside world. In this culture of fear, I assumed not many dared.

I wasn't sure if I was completely ready for this. It was a plan, yes, but one very hastily made. Worry hovered over me for Renesmee and Nahuel. I assumed they would be fine; after all, they did outnumber the other vampire 2 to 1. But it was really Nahuel that concerned me. The images of the encounter in the forest replayed in my mind over and over again, seemingly with no end. Nahuel wasn't supposed to be this passionate, blood-thirsty, unstoppable force of nature; he was supposed to be a quiet, shy, and understanding man. He was a gentle undercurrent, not a thrashing tempest. I had spoken to him often at the Cullen house, and felt like I connected with him well, like I knew him. He was the considerate brother; the friend who often listened was but was often afraid to speak. But out of nowhere, that changed. How could he have been so charged to kill Dietrich so violently in my name?

His face in the forest was frightening, no doubt, but his utter determination and diligence for his cause made it miraculous, even glorious. It was as if he was a savior, but one that was utterly terrifying, like the Terminator. It was a face that hadn't really left my mind, one that I would surely dream about tonight. I've never seen such devotion in my life, which was odd. How could he be so devoted to me when he barely knew me? It seemed overly drastic, as if we had spent a lifetime of falling in love together. I mean, I guess I _liked_ him, but love was too strong of a word for right now.

I shook my head; why should I even be thinking about this now? Stupid me. I pointed to one of the hunters in my groups and gestured for him to lead the way. He waved his hand, as if to say, "Follow me." He then pushed open the hatch that led into the outside world. A gush of air flowed through the tunnel, and many were shocked by its cool, crisp feeling across their skins. It felt miraculous, perhaps even more so than it did earlier, but that was probably because Dietrich was harassing me now. We all ascended hastily yet silently into the open night. The people, save for the hunters, gazed at the world around them in wonder. They inhaled the clean air for the first time in a long time (maybe even the first time ever). Some knelt to feel the grass, others to touch a tree bark.

"No!" I harshly whispered. "Don't touch anything, or you'll leave your scent there!" Everyone immediately jumped back into reality and stopped their explorations of the nature around themselves. As much as I wanted to absorb the night air around me, I knew that time was short, and we had to move quickly. So I gave a hurried gesture toward the hunter, who nodded in understanding. He ushered everyone along, and putting his finger to his lips, ordered everyone to be as quiet as the death of the night. Everyone moved with surprising grace and efficiency, traveling faster than I first predicted. Now that I was out here with others around me, I could really enjoy the world. I absorbed it around me the same as I did when I first landed here. The forest was cold with an underlying mist on the mossy floor beneath my shoes. The silver glow of the moon, hidden behind the thick leaves of the trees, shone just enough to light our way. There was only one problem; other than the sounds of our breathing and the squishing of the damp soil beneath our feet, there was not a sound. No hooves, no birds, nothing. A predator was near.

"We're here," the hunter whispered barely above audibility. Time passes so quickly when you're in danger. He knocked ever so gently on a large bolder, but it sounded like wood rather than stone. He lifted it, revealing a hatch. This room was tiny, and very shallow. We would all be crouched down in there, unable to stand unless we wanted out heads to burst through the soil. Everyone was ushered in quickly; I was the last to descend. No one spoke; only the awkward tension of "what now?" filled the air. Even though it was pitch black, the energy around me suggested that everyone was staring at me.

"Now, we wait," I whispered. "Maybe everyone should go to sleep. I'll stay up and keep watch." There was so sound of reply. I didn't expect there to be. After a minute or two the, room was filled with a chorus of heavy breathing. Eventually, it became clear that everyone had fallen asleep.

It was the blackest of rooms, this tunnel. The darkness was so all encompassing that I was sure it could strangle me if it wanted. It was the kind that made my stomach ache in fear. All I had now were my thoughts to distract me. Unfortunately, none of my thoughts were comforting ones. I imagined myself trying to defend this group, only to be ambushed from behind and killed instantly. No warning, no last words to comfort me. I had no doubt in my mind that Jacob's group was safe, so I didn't worry about them. It was more this lot that concerned me. Could I protect them? I wasn't entirely confident with myself. But what if Renesmee and Nahuel had already taken care of the danger? No, if they had, they would have followed our scent and come to tell us that it was all right. Unfortunately, they hadn't. No, I had to stop thinking so pessimistically. I laid my head back against the wet, soft soil, trying to relax.

I didn't get very far. Just then, I felt a very wet, slimy, and thin membrane slither across the back of my neck. Without thinking, without a filter to stop me, I gave a short burst of a scream. The group was instantly awakened, and many gasped, some screamed. Shit shit shit, no!

"Shh, it's ok!" I whispered hastily. Ringing silence once more. No one relaxed, and the tension worsened. Oh God, oh God, we could have revealed ourselves.

A familiar sound was heard, soft yes, but deafening to our nerves. It was slow sound, the squishing of a foot against the mist dampened forest floor. Except, we were _under_ the forest floor. My back straightened so hard that I was certain it would detach from my hips. I looked up to the low ceiling. Another sound was heard, but it was definitely not familiar. It was a low, menacing growl coming from the other side of this thin soil. We'd been found.


	16. Unto Dust You Shall Return

**I'm on a role! This chapter is dedicated to my awsome friend Laura, who I hope is doing well at her comedy sportz competition today, and because she promised to actually read this this weekend (yes, Laura, I'm going to hunt you down if you don't read this! Don't be creeped out by this). Anywhoo, creepiness aside, enjoy with the Goodie of the Day: razzleberry pie (and sorry that this chapter is so short).**

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If my senses were any more alert, if my breathing was any shallower, and if my hands were clutching my photon gun any harder, I was certain that I would pass out. There was no sound except the occasional step from above, so slight that it was barely audible. Yet despite its low decibel, there was no sound louder that reverberated through my eardrums. The growls continued, low and steady; it was a predator on the hunt, sensing its prey but not knowing where it hid. Even quieter than the footsteps, and perhaps even more terrifying than the growls, was the sound of a deep inhale, followed by a sigh of the enjoyment of smell.

I faced the fact that we were all as dead as the hides on the people's backs. We were a feast for him to behold, one that he would enjoy most sweetly. I wasn't prepared to approach death's dark face; I wasn't prepared to look into my maker's eye. Nothing prepares you for the possibility of losing your life. At least this one would be quick and painless, I hope. What if it wasn't? I pushed the thought aside.

I suppose you could call me more of a spiritual person than belonging to any one religion, but I guess I could be considered Christian by any standards. The afterlife wasn't a common thought to me, but it was all I could think of. It was all that comforted me right now. The images of beauty, whiteness, pure ecstasy, and no more darkness flooded my mind. It calmed me to think that I would have no more sadness or pain, and to think that Neil would be with me. Then the ultimate question arose; was I ready to die? If these moments here would be my last, could I accept that? Did I even have a choice? I concentrated harder on the idea of unity with Neil, of the release from this insanity called Earth, from danger and worry. I closed my eyes and waited to be found. It was inevitable, and so it would have to be accepted.

But nothing came. The growling stopped, the sound of footsteps ceased, and the sound of breathing stopped. I opened my eyes, still surrounded by the utter darkness. I was still alive, I had not been eaten, and there was now the possibility that the monster had given up his search. As quietly as I could, I breathed a sigh of relief.

Pain grasped my shoulders, and I was suddenly blinded by dirt. Faster than I could scream, an impossibly strong force pulled my up. I was held tightly by the most powerful grip imaginable, so strong that I was sure that it would break my shoulders. I was lifted through the soil, out of the darkness, but into a light of menacing fear. My hand griped harder to my gun determined not to let it go. I screamed so loud and hard that the ghosts of the forest were disturbed. My anticipation for the end was completely erased, and now my adrenaline was pumping so hard that all I could think of was survival. I raised my gun to shoot at my captor, and turned my head to see his face.

I didn't expect what happened next. The pressure holding my in a deadlock dropped completely, and I half collapsed onto the soft soil. The sound of upturning leaves caused my head to snap towards the predator. My grip on the gun weakened, my chest contracted, and my breath was lost when I looked.

Standing about twenty yards away, holding his breath, his eyes wild and crimson with desire but his body appearing in utter pain, was Neil. But it wasn't the same Neil; he was alien, changed, more beautiful and yet more ghastly than ever before. No, Neil had died, and in his place was a monster. But how could this possibly happen?

My instincts jerked my hand to point the gun at him, ready to fire in defense of myself. But when I really looked at his face, such surge of pain and disbelief halted my actions. He was struggling; he knew my face, he remembered me, and he was trying with every fiber of his being not to kill me. His body jerked about, at one point advancing toward me and an instant later retreating. His rational mind was fighting with his natural instincts.

"N-Neil…" I barely choked out. "H-H…How?"

"No!" he shouted, more directed towards himself than me. He banged his fist violently against an enormous pine, placing an enormous dent into the bark and causing it to shake uncontrollably. He walked in broken, yet impossibly graceful steps. He opened his eyes and looked at me. His wonderful green was gone.

"Neil…I thought they killed you," I could barely say. My eyes filled with tears, threatening to drown me. My throat tightened light piano wires, restricting the airflow to my lungs.

"They didn't kill me," he said. Even his voice was different; gone was the calm, cheerful voice, replaced by an animalistic, deep snarl. "They kept me as their food source, and one of them was kind and turned me," he said, stopping often mid-sentence to steady himself against a tree or pounding into a boulder, crushing it to bits. "And now look at me, Christelle! I'm a monster!" he shouted. He thrashed closer to me, his bloodlust slowly overcoming his love for me and his need to protect me. I could see how close he was to killing me, but I couldn't bear to fire the gun. It was tormenting watching him becoming lost forever. I had accepted his death once; did I have the strength to accept a much worse fate?

"When I found your ship, I didn't know it was yours, only that I needed to find and warn whoever was on mission. And then I found you," he said. His voice, with such strain and yet such agonizing thirst killed me. I felt my heart, my every hope shatter inside me. "I can't kill you, Christelle," he said with such restraint that I thought he would burst. His muscles wrenched when he inhaled, then relaxed, "but you smell so damn good," he said. But that wasn't Neil speaking; it was a demon, a monster, a creature that didn't care that I was his sister. The desire for blood overcame him, and now I looked into the face of the most dangerous predator, growling with need. With lightening speed, began to advance towards me.

I pulled the trigger.

Faster than even his speed, the ray of light and heat contacted with his skin. Neil was instantly set ablaze.

Should I live a thousand lives, should my days be spent in eternity, I will never forget that sound, the cry that sounded like legions of men being torn apart, the sound of the greatest agony known, the bellow of a loved one dying at your hands. I wanted nothing but to close my eyes, yet I couldn't turn my focus away. His incinerating body thrashed wildly, sending off a devilishly red flame and purple smoke. I watched him slowly transform before my eyes.

His hair turned to ash first, followed by his clothes, but by then, he was already on the ground. He began to disappear, his body slowly getting smaller and smaller, turning to ash right in front of me. It wasn't until now that I realized I was no longer holding the gun.

There was a light touch upon my shoulder, causing me to scream and jump.

"Shh, don't be afraid," said an unfamiliar voice. I turned around to see one of the hunters. The rest of the humans had come out of the hiding space to see what was happening. I looked back at the fire, which was dying quickly. The small flames turned violet, desperately trying to consume what little was left. The flames lowered and lowered, but there appeared to be almost no body left. The fire gave its last puff of life, leaving once more the moon as the only source of life.

My mind was one place, while my body was somewhere different entirely. My legs moved forward, though my mind shouted to stop; I couldn't help myself. There wasn't anything left to see, nothing but ash. But no, there was a thin, grayed substance sticking out from the body: a finger. My hand involuntarily reached out to touch it, but it disintegrated as my finger grazed his, turning it to dust in my hand. That was when it was absolute, that was when it really hit me; Neil was gone, really and truly gone forever, and I killed him. A tear watered the ashes, leaving a lonely dot upon the mound.

"Christelle?" called a voice like a bell; Renesmee. I didn't turn to face her; I showed no sign of response. I didn't want her right now; I didn't want anyone right now. A slight touch grazed my shoulder, causing the bruises to ache.

"Go away!" I shouted hoarsely. "Let me be." She obeyed, and I heard her walk away. From that point on, I could hear what was going on behind me, but I couldn't comprehend it. I supposed Renesmee and Nahuel were directing the humans, ready to lead them to Jacob's group. I didn't want to leave, they couldn't make me.

What had I done? I was no less of a monster than Neil had become. He died at my hands, he tried to save humanity in vain, and now he could never be properly remembered by those who loved him. As long as I should live, I could never forgive myself; never atone for what I had done. Every time I would see father, I would see Neil in the lines of his face; every time I flew, I would think about his love of being a pilot; it was inescapable.

I didn't think it would be physically possible to move until I heard another familiar voice behind me.

"Christelle, I'm so sorry," said Nahuel. I couldn't hold myself together. I hugged Nahuel violently and wept. All the while he held me, hugging me and whispering comforts in my ear telling it would be ok. But it was never going to be ok.


	17. Full Circle

**Behold, the final chapter of Where the Lost Ones Go. But fear not, we will have a sequel called "Carrying Simon", which you can get the link to here: .net/s/4880661/1/Carrying_Simon. Ok, this thing won't let me put up the first part with "fanfiction" in the beginning, but still use that as a guide. I want to personally thank all of my readers and reviewers, especially Master of da Boot, who has been here since the beginning and didn't hesitate to help me up my game. I also thank my friend helloeverybodyhi, who although is still a little behind by the time she reads this, has been encouraging me all the way. I couldn't have done this without all of you. So without further adeu, here's the final Good of the Day for WTLOG: lemon merengue pie. Enjoy.**

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The sound of the fire was drowning, hypnotizing, numbing, comforting. All the other humans were spending their time enjoying the fresh air, the smell of the forest, and the celebration of the death of a moon-skinned. That's my brother, you fiends, I wanted to shout. Anger boiled in my blood for these treacherous men and women defiling the very name of my brother. I was the only one by the fire, and I wanted it to remain so.

There were whispers behind me, speaking so quickly that I couldn't distinguish the words, yet I knew exactly whose lips they fell from. What conspiracy were they weaving, what gossip about me were they spilling? I scowled in disgust. How dare they speak behind my back like that when I could hear them perfectly well!

"If you have something to say to me, then spit it out," I snarled. I didn't care if I was polite, I didn't care if they thought my mannerisms were harsh. It was the worst they would see me for a while, until I could scrub the dirt from my hands and the dried tears from my skin. But the dirt will never wash away; it would always be a stain upon my skin. The sound of more whispers arose, like they were debating who should speak to me. Pathetic. Footsteps approached, quiet and slowly delicate. Definitely not Jacob.

"Christelle?"

"What, Nahuel?" I muttered. He sat down next to me on the log.

"Christelle, I can't put into words how you must feel-"

"Do you think anyone can?" I seethed. He sighed.

"Will you please let me try to help you?" he said, he voice tormenting sweet and comforting. Somehow, I could feel the empathy in his voice. I remembered his story well. No one was there to help him when Huilen died; no one told him that everything would be alright. How selfish and ungrateful I was to reject his altruistic company. The thought only made me disgust myself more right now. I guess my silence was a yes to him. He gave me a sweet, gentle hug, which that you give a child when they were hurt by hateful enemies. My mouth moved disconnected from my mind, but I could hear myself mumbling something like, "I killed him, Nahuel, I killed him." But every time my closed throat hindered my speaking, he only gently shush me in almost a sing-song way. I don't think that I would ever get used to how beautiful the Cullen's voices were, like music without even carrying a tune.

As comforting and welcoming it was to remain there by the warm and secure fire, the world felt ever more alien to me. I began to notice how my perspective began to change sitting there in Nahuel's arms. The forest no longer struck me with beauty, but with eeriness and its queer silence. The branches of the trees were no longer delicate works of art, but intimidating fences, blocking the path of vision to see the right way. The fresh greenery and biting cold began to pierce my nose as I breathed. Even the moon in all its splendid glory, only made the scenery look colorless and flat. I truly felt like an outsider in my own Home.

I must have fallen asleep, but I had no idea that sleep had closed my eyes until they were open to the dim morning sun. I was lying on a fur, covered by another fur of the softest, warmest fabric I've ever felt. But the feeling didn't last long, as the irritating itch of the fur suddenly overcame all other good aspects of it. Haunting, frightening dreams filled my mind, repeating the happenings of last night over and over again. My face felt odd with the dried tears. The memories sent pangs in my stomach, and closed my throat once more.

The rest of the humans that were with Jacob had arrived when I was out I suppose. They were all asleep, but the trio was still awake, not speaking, but certainly kept busy. Jacob was tending the fire while Nahuel and Renesmee were cooking what appeared to be a freshly killed deer. I arose quietly, but they heard me anyway, of course.

"Good morning," Renesmee whispered, trying not to disturb anyone. There was a disrupting energy about the camp, an uncertain energy that could be felt even though everyone was overcome by slumber. The sky, or what little could be seen from the thick canopy above, was grey and in danger of raining. There were no sounds of the forest except for birds from a very distant place. It seemed animals did not care to be around dangerous predators.

How oddly the world changed to me. I felt so uncomfortable standing here, like I was waiting for a large branch to break from one of the trees and crush me to oblivion. Everything felt so foreign, so different from when I first arrived on Earth, like I had always known I'd belong here. The beauty of my natural, my perfect Home had faded back to reveal how dangerous and uncertain of a world it was. It wasn't just a world of decoration and lavish nature, but a place where daylight could dissolve into darkness very quickly and suddenly. This was no place for either me or the humans here.

An immediate and nerve-wrecking idea came to mind; Nahuel had killed their leader, the one man who held them together tightly, even though it was almost tyrannical. Dietrich was the one who gave direction to the colony, and now he was dead. Which left the question: what do we do with them? If he had no heirs, no line of succession, then they could debate for days to find a new leader, but what would even be the point? Despite their violent nature, I couldn't help but feel sympathy for them. I didn't _want_ for them to remain here, leading miserable lives of fear and paranoia. I wanted them to be happy, healthy, and above all, clean. None of those could be achieved given their present conditions, but what was I to do? I didn't have time to build them a better colony that I didn't want them to live in anyway; no human should live their lives away from the sun, ignorant of the green and beautiful world just above the surface.

"Christelle?" Renesmee said, snapping my attention away from my thoughts. "Do you want some breakfast. She held a wooden platter of meat in front of me. Before smelling the freshly cooked deer, I hadn't realized just how hungry I truly was. I nodded enthusiastically, and immediately accepted the offering. The rest of them gathered next to me with their own platters (although Jacob had twice as much as all of us).

"Wait, I thought you only drank blood?" I asked Nahuel and Renesmee.

"It's more preferable, but this works too," Nahuel said between mouthfuls. The humans had still not woken up yet, which was odd considering it seemed so light out now. We ate for the most part in silence. No one was sure of what to say to me, and I didn't know what to say either. The silence didn't help with my thoughts, which kept reflecting on the ray of light, the red eyes, the flames, the ashes…

"Are you alright?" Jacob asked sympathetically. I hadn't noticed the new tears streaming from my eyes. I brushed them away with my hand quickly so they would not have to see. I sucked in some air and allowed myself to speak, even though I felt as though I was choking.

"I guess we're even now, eh Jacob?" I asked. Renesmee looked confused, and turned to me. I gave her a face that said, "It's not important." My hand reached down to grasp some more meat, but my hand slowed, and I found that I simply couldn't eat anymore. Not that I wasn't hungry, I just couldn't muster the energy. All of my focus and vitality now rested on death, and the color purple and white, and they dissolving gray. The others sensed my silence.

"Christelle, do you wanna talk-"

"What do you think we should do next?" I said, hurryingly interrupting Jacob. No, I didn't want to talk about last night; I wanted to talk about now.

"What do you mean?" Renesmee asked.

"I mean," I said, trying to remember to remain quiet, "what do we plan to do with this colony. I mean, Nahuel, you killed Dietrich, and now they have no leader." He didn't respond, but looked horrendously embarrassed and angry.

"Sorry that I wanted to save you," he said bitterly. "I didn't know that meant so little to you."

"Don't be cruel," I said coldly. He looked at me with glaring eyes, but there was hurt behind his outward appearance. He remained silent after that, causing an awkward tension to hold the air in place. The only sound was the crackling fire. I finally spoke up.

"I won't leave them here to rot underground," I muttered. The three looked at me curiously.

"Then what do you suggest?" Jacob asked quietly. I thought for a moment. I realized my idea had probably been with me since the moment I first descended into the colony.

"I'll bring them back with me. I can call to have a few more ships sent, and we can leave in a week." Nahuel seemed startled. His back instantly straightened.

"We?" he asked, as if he was praying that I wouldn't say what he thought I would say.

"I'm going with them, Nahuel," I said. They seemed surprised. "I can't stay here. There's too much baggage on my shoulders now." Renesmee was the first to speak, while Jacob and Nahuel's mouths remained dropped open.

"No, we can figure something out, we can help you," she said.

"No. I don't want to stay any longer. I just…I just want to go home."

"But," Jacob said, "You are Home."

"No, I mean the Station, back to my family and friends. I can't just send thirty humans back without going with them. I'm not letting them stay here to remain dirty and miserable and in the dark. Please, don't look at me like that," I said. I got up and began to walk away; right now, my greatest desire was to spend a moment of lonely peace, with only the trees as my company. My feet broke into an unintentional run, but they didn't stop, not for quite sometime, only until I could at last hear the birds again. I loved the sound. It was natural, peaceful, unbiased. The birds didn't sing to you, didn't care about you, they only serenaded you, just I was looking for right now. I didn't cry, though my eyes burned harshly, waiting for the release of tears; I think I shed every possible drop the night before. Even without the sweet kiss of water on my cheek, my chest was still ever heavy, and my knees weak. A tall, strong oak served as my leaning post. I closed my eyes, but all I could see was his face, so I kept them open. I felt so out of my element in this world, and I think I understood why; there was no purpose for me left here. It was once beautiful because it was full of promise; full of opportunity for me, but now it was empty and with no more need to stay. I no longer had an attachment, because all ties that kept me to my purpose here had been cut when I gazed into Neil's eyes for the last time.

Alarm overcame me when I could no longer hear birds. I grasped onto my gun resting on my belt.

"Relax, Christelle, it's me," said Nahuel, revealing himself behind a grove of trees. Even in my want to have some alone time, I always found comfort in Nahuel; he and I were empathetic to each other now, at level on the same plateau of understanding. Plus, something about his shy, gentle nature made him seem more approachable. He smiled warmly, indicating that he was only going to speak if I wanted him to. I didn't understand whether he was so passive that I couldn't help but give into his wants, or if that was just his charm.

"Look," he said, not sure how to exactly say what he wanted to say, "Are you leaving because…because of what I did to Dietrich," he said so that the words seemed mashed together. I sighed deeply, realizing he wasn't going to give up.

"I'm not leaving because of you or because of anyone. Though I must say, I'm a little disturbed by you," I said a little more bitterly than necessarily. He looked so embarrassed, and I felt guilty for putting him on such a cold spot. He bowed his head, looking ashamed.

"Christelle, I…I don't have an excuse for why I did that. I don't know what came over me last night. It was like…when I heard his words, when I saw his knife; it was like something hideous inside me took over. I wasn't able to stop myself. And I made you so terrified…" He turned from me, hiding his face. My heart crunched at his words. He truly did, in every way, terrified me when I saw his savage face, but at the same time, it looked oddly glorious; never had I seen anyone become so full of determination and passion to protect someone. Even though his actions were horrifying, it made me oddly happy that someone would care about me so much. I would be sure to look into my insanity when I returned to the Station; I much be falling into madness.

"I forgive you, Nahuel. It's just…I don't know how to respond to something like this. I mean, what prompted this?" His jaw tightened, but his eyes didn't change their stoic, serious gaze.

"Like I said, I don't know what overcame me," he said. He was a terrible liar, and perhaps he knew it too. I decided not to press further on the subject.

"It's just…my whole world…my _whole_ has changed so, so very quickly," I said quietly, my throat tightening once more. "I just, I need to figure this out, I need to wrap my head around everything, and I can't if I stay here. Everywhere I look, I see his face, and when I close my eyes, I am greeted with death. I just, I just can't take it anymore." Now I was sobbing with dry eyes. I felt ashamed to let myself go like this in front of him, in front of anyone. He looked uncomfortable. He wrapped his arm around me, as if he was unsure of how to help me, how to comfort me.

"I'm so sorry, for everything. None of us could have known of what happened to Neil. We were all sure that he couldn't have survived his encoun-" He cut himself short abruptly, startling me. He was hiding something from me. I suddenly switched from the defensive to the offensive. What could he possibly be hiding from me?

"What, Nahuel, and encounter? Is that what you said?" I asked accusingly. He backed away from me, his eyes full of guilt. Anger built up in my stomach. He turned around to face away from me. "Don't walk away, Nahuel," I said. He stopped and sighed heavily, rubbing his hand through his black, wavy hair. He opened his mouth several times, intending to speak, but silencing himself every time.

"What is it?" I asked more softly this time, hoping to coax it out of him. He closed his eyes, as if bracing himself.

"We all though he was dead and that he couldn't have possibly lived his encounter with…one of our kind." It was obvious that there was more. I felt fevered in my urge to know the whole story, to know absolutely everything he knew.

"How did you know that he encountered vampires?" I asked cautiously. I didn't want to sound too harsh; for fear that he would shut down completely.

"Well, even if we weren't in the room with you, we could still hear the recording you brought back from his ship," he said quietly, but his eyes still didn't meet mine. His foot twitched slightly, and he didn't appear to be breathing. Nahuel would have to go down as the worst secret keeper in history.

"There's more, isn't there?" I asked. He heaved that heavy, aching sigh once more and nodded slowly while subtly bit his lip.

"You know how he said he was done with the mess in the video?" he asked barely above a whisper. My head nodded once. I wanted to hear what he would have to say, but my heart feared for what he would say. "Well, I, we knew what that mess was." The forest was once more dead quiet, not even the sound of my own torn heart filled the empty echoes around me. I could only guess the expression on my face; it anguished him to look at my face, and he promptly turned away. His eyes looked at the ground, and he didn't appear to be here in mind anymore.

"Word got out that three vampires had found a human and were keeping him for themselves, trying to…make his blood last as long as possible. It under law by death that any human found must first be given to Gustav and Matthieu, the ruling brothers, before anyone else. The rumor that the three were keeping a human spread, though he was never found. Most presumed they killed him, or he died of weakness." He paused and shifted his eyes toward me. My body felt like it was submerged in a frozen pane of glass, completely immobile as I listened.

"We all forgot about it, but…but then you came. You told us your story, you gave him a name…" he stopped, editing, choosing his words more carefully. "We didn't know how to tell you. But we thought he was dead, and if you found out anything on your own, it wouldn't matter. We agreed to help you, walking on ice the entire time. When we found Neil's ship, and listened to his message, we knew we had to speak to you. We decided to go hunting and figure out whether or not to tell you, but everything changed when we knew that someone else had been to his ship." He stopped, not wanting to go any further. In an overwhelming instant, it all had crashed on me. _They had been keeping this from me all this time_. From the moment I told them my story, they knew who I was, who Neil was, and the _kept it from me_. My numb horror turned to the most passionate, burning, irrational anger I've ever felt in my entire life At that very moment, I wished I was as strong as he was so I could tear him apart. He must have seen the rage in my eyes, because his eyes became, not frightened for himself, but for me.

"So, you knew, all this time," I said quietly, surprised by how cool my own voice was, when my blood was boiling.

"Christelle, please," he said in the way that you would calm a temperamental child. He reached out his hand to touch my cheek. I attempted to trust it away; it was like trying to push back a brick wall. And I cursed at my weakness, at my inability not to amount to anything physically. I was like a helpless doll in this world, so weak in this world, which was far too chaotic for me. I couldn't control my own life or the lives of those I tried to protect, not anymore. Though I failed at pushing away Nahuel's hand, he read me and acquiesced to my wants. How kind of Nahuel, how thoughtful of him, how perfectly good of him.

"How could you keep this from me?" I asked venomously, so sharply that I surprised myself. That surprise didn't last. Suddenly, he took the defensive; his face stopped being empathetic and comforting and now became hard and stern, but at the same time, entirely devoted.

"I was protecting you, _we_ were protecting you. You wouldn't have been able to handle the truth; you couldn't even handle the half truth," he said, his voice suddenly filled with defense.

"Shut up," I growled. My fists were clenched to strike him, though that would result in my own damage. Damn my human limitations! I couldn't look at him anymore. My fist grasped onto a large piece of fluffy green moss and ripped it from the tree bark, throwing with all my might, though it didn't travel very far. Damn my weakness, damn my pathetic nature, damn it all! I was left with nothing; I no longer had purpose here, I had lost most of my world, and I had no strength mental and physical, to hold me up. So what the hell am I doing here, when I could be home, where it didn't matter what happened here, where no one cared if I was weak? I thought.

"Leave me," I growled at him. His feet made one step closer to me.

"I said leave me, dammit!" He stopped and preceded no further as far as my dim ears could tell. I started walking back the way I came, and he continued to follow me. "Let me be, Nahuel!" I shouted, hysteria eating away my soul. "Take Jacob and Renesmee and go home. Forget me, and forget all you've seen! You won't hear from me ever again." There was no sound, exactly what I wanted. There was a heavy, anguished sigh. Did it come from my mouth? I was too disorientated to tell. But I did hear the slight, unnatural wind which turned up the leaves upon the forest floor. My head cocked to the side to see if he was still behind me; he wasn't.

So I continued my way back, or my way forward. Perhaps I would always be stuck in the middle, or perhaps I was heading back to square one. No, I was now outside the course of my life. In the weave of my future, this mission had created a tear, and now the pattern was disrupted, never to be completely healed, even if one re-sewed it. The distance from here to the colony was short, but the miles between and my old life would always be legions of space. I would take the humans back to the Station, help those lead better lives, and help them no longer live in fear. No longer would I live in fear either, but I will always be haunted. Though, when my ship comes to take me away from Home, when I leave my own personal hell that I lay before myself, my demons would always come back to me. Was Neil an angel now? No, he would be a ghost as long as his soul remained without rest. How to quench his need for sleep was a mystery, one I wasn't sure that I would ever solve. For now, I could take action and keep moving forward, though a piece of me would always remain on this lost world, with all the others who lost ones they loved to this unforgiving land, and to the unforgiving monsters that inhabited it.

* * *


End file.
